Hundreds of people have been left mourning their investments in BETL, a company promoting portable charging stations for mobile phones. Users have lost access to the system and numerous Bulgarians, estimated to be over 10,000 people, believe they have been victims of a financial pyramid scheme.
Kalinа Nikolova, the supposed Bulgarian representative of the company, admits that BETL indeed appears to be a pyramid. She only realized this whenshe was asked to contribute $100 around Lady’s Day (Nikulden), on top of the substantial sums she had already invested. She initially believed it was a legitimate business opportunity, not a scheme to make quick money.
She estimates that around 28,000 Bulgarians have been affected by the scheme. Nikolova denies having access to the funds of Bulgarian investors. Although she admits to substantial losses, she refuses to provide details. She also claims not to know who is behind the scheme and is cooperating with the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP) to find out.
Title: I Didn’t Believe It, But It Turned Out to Be a Pyramid
In the vast expanse of the Sahara Desert, there are a number of immutable landscapes that have captivated human imagination for centuries. Among them, the most iconic and enduring are the pyramids of Egypt. These architectural marvels, a testament to the ingenuity and ambition of ancient civilizations, have inspired awe and curiosity in every generation. Such was the case for international archaeologists last year when they discovered an unprecedented tip that didn’t look like any of the more than 100 known pyramids in Egypt.
The journey began in 2008 when a group of archaeologists led by Dr. Josef Wegner from the University of Pennsylvania was conducting a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) survey of the desert landscape near Saqqara, an ancient burial ground for Memphis, the capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom. LiDAR, a remote-sensing technology, uses light in the form of a pulsed laser to measure variables such as Rangers, elevation, and depth, helping to create detailed maps and 3D models of landscapes.
While processing the data, the team was astounded to discover an elevated, trapezoidal structure unlike any known archaeological feature in the region. The shape was unusual, resembling a pyramid but with smoother angles. Intrigued, the team initially dismissed it as a geological anomaly, as no man-made structure in Egypt was known to have such a shape. However, as the scans were refined, it became increasingly difficult to deny the possibility that they might have found something altogether unknown.
The next step was to conduct a ground survey, digging carefully into the sands to uncover any details that could verify the structure’s artificial origin. To their astonishment, they found remnants of ancient masonry deep beneath the desert floor. More digging revealed that the structure had been carefully layered with limestone blocks, a technique commonly used in the construction of pyramids during the Old Kingdom. This was the first concrete evidence that the discovery wasn’t just a geological oddity but a man-made edifice.
Further investigation using ground-penetrating radar confirmed that the "pyramid" had a hollow interior, another characteristic shared by known pyramids in Egypt. Yet, the structure was unlike any other pyramid, from its peculiar shape to the fact that it was completely buried under the sand, thus remaining undetected for thousands of years.
The team’s initial disbelief morphed into excitement as they realized that they may have found something entirely new and potentially revolutionary. This newly discovered pyramid could shed light on various aspects of ancient Egyptian culture, architecture, and history, challenging or even altering our current understanding of these eras.
However, the discovery of this ‘pyramid’ is far from conventional. Its unique shape, scale, and location pose numerous questions that have yet to be answered. The research is still in its early stages, and much work remains to be done before its true significance can be fully understood. One thing, however, is certain: this discovery serves as a reminder of the rich and complex history of ancient Egypt, which continues to surprise us even now.
This unusual structure aptly translates the sentiments encapsulated in the discovery: "I Didn’t Believe It, But It Turned Out to Be a Pyramid."
