The mausoleum of the famous Chinese ruler Qin Shi Huangdi was discovered about 50 years ago. During this time, every corner was searched, but his coffin was left untouched. Scientists still do not dare to open the grave, which has their own reason.
In the spring of 1974, a farmer named Yang Zhifa and his five brothers began digging a new well near Lishan Mountain in northeastern Shaanxi Province. Just after they started working, they hit something solid. It turned out to be a clay statue with an arrow.
Following the excavation, workers collected two carloads of ancient artifacts. However, Yang Zhifu only received ten yuan when he decided to profit from his discovery and sell it.
Archaeologists began excavations at the summit of Mount Lyshan that same year and found hundreds of new artifacts. In 1979, the first site where six thousand clay figures of warriors, horses and chariots were discovered, known today as the “Terracotta Army”, was opened to the public. Scholars believe that the mission of these figures was to protect the peace of the legendary emperor Qin Shi Huang-di.
The tomb of this particular emperor was discovered by Yang Zhifa. Qin Shi Huang-di has a special place in Chinese history. However, scientists still cannot open his grave because they assume that his grave is filled with mercury. The ancient emperor believed that this substance had miraculous properties.
In 2020, scientists indirectly confirmed this fact: measurements showed that the concentration of the substance in the immediate vicinity of the tomb was many times higher than the permissible norm. But curiosity still prevails. And scientists are inventing new and new ways to get around old pitfalls. For example, it is proposed to use muons, that is, subatomic particles. Source