Ancient Pyramids, Modern Myths: What a “2,000-Foot-Deep City” Teaches Us About Truth

As a published historian and Founder of Facticity.AI, I’ve always been struck by how ancient mysteries echo modern challenges. Take the recent viral claim of a “2,000-foot-deep underground city” beneath the Giza pyramids. It sounds like a mashup of Indiana Jones and Stargate, promising to rewrite human history. But it also provides the perfect case study for why true, false, and unverifiable must be central categories in fact-checking.

The Claim

Italian and Scottish researchers reportedly announced the discovery of vast subterranean chambers, spiral staircases, and “hidden worlds.” On the surface, it seems like a high-facticity revelation that could upend what we know about ancient civilizations.

The Reality Check

At Facticity.AI, we use the Minto Pyramid Principle, breaking claims into three MECE (Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive) categories:

1️⃣ True — Supported by verified evidence. (So far, no peer-reviewed journal has confirmed this, but future publications could change that.)

2️⃣ False — Debunkable by experts. (Radar specialists have called the supposed tech breakthroughs “a huge exaggeration,” while Egyptologists dismissed them as “fabrications.”)

3️⃣ Unverifiable — The gray zone where most viral claims live. (We can’t prove if this one is real or fake, which makes it stick.)

Why It Matters

In a world of AI-generated content and hyper-viral narratives, ambiguity is the new black. That’s why Facticity.AI is building tools to disambiguate both before and after fact-checking. Our system doesn’t just slap labels on claims, it applies logical, layered structures that can stand the test of time. Think of it as digital archaeology: separating fact from fiction so you don’t have to.