For one thing, the pyramids are structures of outstanding archaeological importance. Indeed, they are so significant – from their complex designs to the hieroglyphs and artifacts found inside them – that any suggestion of breaking into internal tunnels or chambers forcibly would be seen as inappropriate and irresponsible.

Modern archaeological practice is concerned with “making sure we’re not harming the heritage that we’re trying to understand”, explains Alice Stevenson at University College London’s Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology. For example, CyArk – a non-profit organisation – recently began to digitally preserve over 500 world heritage sites, from the Brandenburg Gate to the Ziggurat of Ur in Iraq using non-invasive lasers. Their technology will capture 3D images without the need to lay a finger on them.

But Stevenson also says that counter-theories about the pyramids actually being huge grain stores are not helpful.

“Archaeologists have in fact found grain silos in Egypt, they’re well known to us and they look nothing like pyramids,” she says. Egyptian officials have also chimed in recently to refute Carson’s ideas.

But that still leaves the question of what we know about the pyramids’ interiors. Take the Great Pyramid itself, in Giza. Built more than 3,000 years ago out of more than two million blocks of stone, the Great Pyramid is the biggest ancient pyramid in the world and today stands at 139m (450ft) tall, though it would have been slightly taller when first constructed. That’s a big building. But we only have access to a few chambers inside it, such as the great gallery and the king’s and queen’s chambers.

Recently, an international team of architects and scientists used infrared thermography to detect unexpected temperature differences in the stones of the Great Pyramid.