У Mexico and Central America, ruins were repeatedly found Mayan. However, impassable dense forests have hidden the secrets of ancient civilization in their depths for centuries.
But space satellites over the past 10 years have helped scientists find more ancient Mayan ruins than ever before. All thanks to pulsed laser technology, write space.com.
"In the last 10 years, archaeologists have mapped more Mayan sites, buildings and objects than in the last 150 years," said Texas Tech University archeology professor Brett Houck.
Archaeologists are finding these ruins faster thanks to better satellite technology. Using a pulsed laser method called lidar, or detection and ranging, the satellites can peer through the dense canopy surrounding the Mayan ruins, Hawke explained.
According to historical data, the Maya are indigenous peoples who inhabited the lands of modern Mexico, Guatemala, and northern Belize. Until the 16th century, when the Spanish invaded the area, the Maya were the dominant regional group. They created great pyramids and stone structures, practiced agriculture and had writing skills.
Mayan sites, such as the famous Chichen Itza in Mexico, are designated by UNESCO and the United Nations as World Heritage Sites. However, scientists emphasize that there are many other unexcavated buildings of the famous civilization.
Satellites help scientists uncover more ruins in northeastern Belize. Brett Hawk hinted at "new lidar missions" led by Amy Thompson of the University of Texas. However, the names of these projects have not yet been disclosed.
The scientists say that their study covers a region about 10 times the size of Manhattan - 650 square kilometers. And this area is rich in ruins.
The team found 28 sites "in just a couple of days in the lab studying the data," says Hawke, and plans to continue excavating some of the sites.
The archeology professor also said that one of the areas of research, which will concern the study of canals and water management in the region, is planned for next summer.
According to researchers, Mayan society changed as a result of climate change. Scientists hope that studying the technology of ancient peoples can help transfer their "lessons learned" to today's climate problems. For example, ancient terraces for growing corn and reservoirs for transporting and storing water in drought conditions are already known.
"People and communities have adapted to changing environmental conditions and precipitation, creating what appears to be a stable land-use mosaic," said Tim Murtha of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Scientists emphasize that artificial intelligence could play a role in detecting ancient ruins on satellite images. But learning and gaining access to the relevant algorithms is still dragging out this process.