Easter Island statues may have 'walked' thanks to 'pendulum dynamics' and with as few as 15 people, study finds

Easter Island Statues Movement Mystery

Researchers have found that the Easter Island statues could have "walked" using "pendulum dynamics" with as few as 15 people.

A new study suggests that simple physics may explain how the giant moai statues were transported miles with only a handful of people.

the debate over their transport is far from over

The study reveals that the statues could "walk" with three key elements: a small group of people, long ropes, and pendulum dynamics.

Anthropologists made this discovery after analyzing incomplete moai statues that had been discarded shortly after being quarried.

Author's summary: Easter Island statues may have been moved using simple physics.

Live Science — 2025-10-19