The forest was full of cities we couldn’t see

Thanks to Storyblocks for sponsoring this video! Download unlimited stock media at one set price with Storyblocks: https://storyblocks.com/howtown To support independent science journalism JOIN OUR PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/Howtown TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@howtown_ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howtown_videos/ This video was supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, in association with IMI. https://sloan.org/ https://www.theimi.co/ Source list: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wX_LLaLyxE1jT4w7iJNCQv-7gfvKQMyXVDQ1i0t8pUg/edit?usp=sharing Thanks to https://www.youtube.com/@jaguarcilloviajero Note: We used generative AI in this piece to add motion to public-domain illustrations. Register your complaints at [email protected]. We're grateful for the generous support of the Patreon Town Council: Bev Fong Chris Wubbels Sean Barrett Mike Purvis Jon Hewett Albychen Hernando Garcia Sean Talon Evan Hass Mark Tinker Julian Mayorga L.A. O’Connor Mikey Limotta Marcos Huerta Joaquim Salles Sam Gaty Jason Dunlap Parag Mallick Edgar Sutawika Richard Gladas Tim Davey Scott Henderson Navneet Tra Him Taylor Pedro ZM Ale Andrew Paschall Martin Weeks Dimi Bryce Golden-Chen Estelle Caswell LiDAR scanning is transforming our understanding of the ancient Maya by revealing thousands of hidden structures beneath the forest canopy. In areas like Tikal and Caracol, laser data has uncovered extensive networks of pyramids, roads, canals, and residential compounds, expanding estimates of Maya population and urban sprawl. The 2016 PACUNAM survey alone mapped over 2000 square kilometers and identified over 60,000 structures. While much of the region remains unscanned, the technology is already reshaping what counts as a “site” and how we interpret the scale of Maya civilization. In this Howtown video, we explain how mapping methods have evolved over time, allowing archaeologists to see and analyze ancient cities like Tikal. Even after a century of study, there was still so much to be uncovered by airborne LiDAR. It’s an incredible example of how advances in physics and engineering can supercharge other fields in ways that couldn’t have been anticipated. Chapters: :00 a game-changer :49 welcome to the Maya forest