AstrangearmyofgiantsstandsaroundtheedgesofaremoteislandinthePacificOcean.Oratleastthat'showitmightappear.ThefiguresliningEasterIslandareactuallyhugestonescarvedtolooklikehulking(笨重的)humanfigures.Thestatueshave”guarded”thesecoastsforcenturies.Butnoteventheislandersaresurehowtheygotthere.Joinscientificdetectivesastheyinvestigatethishistoricalmystery.

TheMystery

NearlyathousandgiantstonefiguresstandsidebysideonEasterIslandnowapartofChile.Calledmoai(MOH-eye)bythelocalsthestatuescanweighmorethan80tons一aboutasmuchastenwhales一andsomestandastallasathree-storybuilding.

Scientiststhinkislandersbegancreatingthemoaisome800yearsagotohonortheirancestors.Inlandscientistsfoundavolcaniccrateranddugoutancienttoolsthereusedtocarvefiguresfromthevolcanicrock.Butthecrater(火山口)isfarfromwheremostofthestatuesnowstand.Andscientistsknowthepeopledidn'thavewheelsoranimalstomovetherockgiants.

Sohowdidthestonefigurestravelasfaras11milesfromthecratertotheisland'scoasts?Someideasareprettywild一peoplehavesuggestedthatthemoaiwalkedbythemselvesoreventhatspacealiensbeameddowntolendahand.ScientistsstruggledtoEasterIslandtofindoutthetruth.

TheDetectives

"Heave-ho!"cryagroupofscientistsastheypullonropestiedtoahugestatue.TheinvestigatorsareseekingcluesaboutthemoaiinoneofEasterIsland'sgreenvalleys.Wonderingiftheislanderscouldhavetransportedthestatuesuprightwithjustropeandmusclepowertheywrappedthreestrongropesaroundtheforeheadofaten-foot-tallmoaicopy.Withseveralpeoplepullingeachrope.they'reabletorockthe10000-poundfiguresidetosidemovingitforwardwitheverytug(拖拽)·"Thestatue'sshapemakesthismovementfairlyeasy"teamleaderCarlLiposays.

Inthepastresearchershavetriedothermovingmethods.Onegrouptiedropetothetopandbaseofanactualmoaiandattemptedtodragitforwardwithtwistingmotions.Anotherteamlaidareal13-footmoaiontoagiantlogandpulledthelogforward.Alltheexperimentssharedoneresult:Theinvestigatorsgotseriouspain!

TheEvidence