In the desert of southwest Peru, enormous shapes, complex patterns, and thousands of perfectly straight lines are cut into the desert’s surface. They are known as the Nazca lines and they 26 500 square kilometers. There are about fifty animal figures 27 275 meters long, including a monkey, a spider, and an “owl man.” The last of these lines were drawn about 1,000 years ago. More 28 is the fact that they can be viewed only from the air. Some people believe the Nazca Indians were 29 able to fly, perhaps in balloons. Others say the lines were landing areas for alien spaceships. Maybe the lines were to carry water for farming, or were used as a calendar. The only thing certain is that the Nazca lines remain one of the world’s most fascinating 30 mysteries.
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