Retraction of Satellite Radar Study on the Great Pyramid

In 2022, Italian researchers Filippo Biondi and Corrado Malanga published a paper in *Remote Sensing* that asserted synthetic-aperture-radar Doppler tomography could detect minute surface vibrations of the Great Pyramid of Khufu and render hidden rooms, corridors and the previously identified “Big Void” as if the stone were transparent. The authors reported identifying 20 concealed features inside and beneath the pyramid, suggesting a network of shafts and chambers that could be mapped without physical entry.

Newsweek

*Remote Sensing* opened an investigation after a reader raised concerns about the study’s methodology. The notice did not allege data fabrication and noted that the authors disagreed with the retraction but provided no further justification.

Newsweek

In March 2025, Biondi, Malanga and collaborators applied the same technique to the neighboring Pyramid of Khafre, announcing five connected structures near its base and eight cylindrical shafts descending roughly 648 meters, ending in two large cube-shaped formations. The team posted a History Channel segment on August 25 and shared a video on August 22 indicating that technical plans for non-invasive field measurements and excavation permits had been submitted to Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. No permission had been granted, and the Supreme Council of Antiquities had not authorized work inside Khafre.

Newsweek

The retracted 2022 study no longer provides a scientific basis for the extraordinary claims about hidden structures at Giza. While the researchers continue to seek field verification and permit approval, the academic community remains skeptical pending on-site investigation. No further peer-reviewed publications have substantiated the satellite-derived reconstructions, leaving the alleged underground network unconfirmed.

Newsweek