Stonehenge is a remarkable site that is amazing to think about. The massive stones have been in place for thousands of years, making it quite the mystery. Not surprisingly, many people have their own theories about how the stones got there including brute force by humans at the time, aliens, old civilizations that had advanced technology, and even glaciers.

One stone, called the Newall Boulder, was looked at closely in 1924, sparking a major debate among scholars. Some researchers suggested the scrape patterns on the stone are consistent with what they would see if the stone was picked up and moved by a glacier long in the past.

If true, this would explain how the stones got to the site so that they could be configured into the positions we see today. The stones are known to have come from quite a distance away, with the bluestones coming from Preseli Hills in Wales, which is 240 kilometers (150 miles) away from the landmark. The Altar Stones come from even further in northeast Scotland, which is 700 kilometers (430 miles) away.

It is truly hard to imagine that ancient humans were willing and able to transport such large stones over such a large distance. Even if they had the technology to do this, which it seems they did, it would be a monumental effort to go through during a time when life was already hard enough.

So, it is easy to see why an explanation that involved glaciers moving the stones to the site is very appealing. Once the stones are physically in the area, the locals could have positioned them into the impressive monument that we see today.

The problem with that, according to a new study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, is that there is virtually no evidence at all to support a glacier moving the stones. In the summary of the study, the authors wrote:

“In summary, we reiterate our earlier interpretation that the Newall boulder is not a glacial erratic, that there is no evidence of glaciation on Salisbury Plain, and that the bluestones were transported to Stonehenge by humans rather than by ice.”

Naturally, the study itself goes into much greater detail explaining why they do not believe that a glacier moved the stones. To start with, they found no evidence of glaciation on the Salisbury Plain and there are no other known glacial deposits in the area. The stones themselves also lack any clear evidence that they were moved by a glacier, which should have been easy to see if that is what happened.

While other researchers may disagree with this study, it does present a very compelling argument to say that it was not glaciers at all that moved these stones. It leaves the reader to determine what other explanations might better fit.

If you think that’s impressive, check out this story about a “goldmine” of lithium that was found in the U.S. that could completely change the EV battery game.