Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
5 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
5 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
6 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
8 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All China Haixi Baigong Pipes

Baigong Pipes

Are these prehistoric metal pipes evidence of alien plumbers? Nope, but they are amazing nonetheless.

Haixi, China

Added By
Mordy
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The Baigong Pipes   utaot.com
The Baigong Pipes   utaot.com
A metallic pipe   Wikimedia Commons
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The Baigong Pipes are found on almost any list of "Out of Place Artifacts" — anachronistic objects that seem to defy explanation.

Local legend speculates that Mt. Baigong in the Qinghai Province of China is an ancient extraterrestrial laboratory. Aside from the mysterious pyramid that crowns the mountain, three triangular entrances at the mountain’s base lead the way to hundreds of decrepit metal pipe-like structures of unknown origin.

The rusty tubes, ranging from needle-size to 16 inches in diameter, reach from deep inside the mountain to a saltwater lake 260 feet away. Many of the hollow pipes are uniform in size and seem to be placed purposefully. The ancient objects are embedded deep enough into the mountain wall and floor to preclude modern human handling. The inhospitable environment surrounding the mountain sees only the occasional nomad. Unless these wanderers developed secret advanced metallurgy skills, the pipes were not formed by human hands.

The first scientists to examine the subterranean phenomenon concluded that the pipes were composed of 92% common minerals and metals and 8% unknown materials. The obvious inference is that these red-hued tubes were transported here from outer space as part of an alien public works project. This Martian theory has garnered so much support that a monument topped off with a corroded satellite dish has been erected near the mountain.

The most recent researchers to examine the pipes believe that the metallic phenomena are in fact fossilized tree root casts, the rusted tubes being the result of tree roots that underwent the processes of pedogenesis (the process that forms soils) and diagenesis (transformation of soil into rock). Further experiments confirmed that the pipes contain organic plant material and even microscopic tree rings. Overflow from an extinct lake once carried these roots to where they stand now.

So while they aren't part of an alien sewer system, the pipes are evidence of the Earth’s ability to create strange and remarkable objects.

Related Tags

Aliens Geology Natural Wonders Martian Landscapes Geological Oddities Ecosystems Nature

Community Contributors

Added By

Mordy

Edited By

EricGrundhauser

  • EricGrundhauser

Published

September 3, 2013

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4181
  • http://www.cracked.com/article_16871_6-insane-discoveries-that-science-cant-explain.html
  • http://rense.com/general29/chin.htm
  • http://www.utaot.com/2013/03/02/the-baigong-pipes-mystery/
Baigong Pipes
315 National Road
Haixi
China
37.134045, 97.586231
Get Directions

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of China

China

Asia

Places 218
Stories 77

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of China

China

Asia

Places 218
Stories 77

Related Places

  • The Smoking Hills, as seen from the sea.

    Inuvik, Unorganized, Northwest Territories

    The Smoking Hills

    These hellish-looking cliffs in the Canadian Arctic have been burning for centuries.

  • A mud pot.

    Iceland

    Námafjall

    In Northeastern Iceland lies something of an oxymoron: a steaming desert.

  • Fairy Glen, as viewed from Castle Ewan.

    Isle of Skye, Scotland

    Fairy Glen

    This dramatic landscape hidden on the Isle of Skye looks as though you've stepped into the magical realm.

  • Looking down into the lava lake

    Antarctica

    Mount Erebus

    Fire meets ice at the southernmost volcano on Earth.

  • The Pinnacles.

    Cervantes, Australia

    The Pinnacles

    Alien rock formations grown from the sands of an Australian national park.

  • Badain Jaran Desert

    Alxa, China

    Booming Dunes of Badain Jaran Desert

    The tallest stationary dunes on Earth also happen to sing.

  • Sierra Bullones, Philippines

    Chocolate Hills

    Bohol's unusually shaped hills turn brown in the summer months

  • Dongchuan Red Land in China

    Qujing, China

    Luoxiagou

    A canvas of crops grow from vibrant red soil in this terraced farmland.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.