what is a monolith in 2001 a space odyssey
Monolith (Space Odyssey) In Arthur C. Clarke's Space Odyssey, monoliths are machines built by an unseen extraterrestrial species. In the series of novels (and the films based on these), three monoliths are discovered in the solar system by humans. (It is also revealed that thousands of others, if not more, exist elsewhere in the solar system.) The response of the characters to their discovery drives the plot of the series. It also influences the fictional history of the series, particularly by encouraging humankind to progress with technological development and space travel.