Lidar works by beaming a laser from a hand-held scanner from an airplane or up-close. The technology creates a virtual 3D map of the area, omitting the vegetation and leaving only the topography of the area. “There are entire cities we didn’t know about now showing up in the survey data,” said archaeologist Francisco Estrada-Belli, one of the leading scientists with the Foundation for Maya Cultural and Natural Heritage (Pacunam) which launched the project.
The new data also found thousands of residential homes, which helped scientists understand that the population of the territory was 11 million, nine million more than previously estimated. This puts the Maya on the same level as ancient Egyptian and ancient Chinese civilizations, both in terms of their population and level of advancement.
Egypt's 10 Most Jaw-Dropping Wonders
Time to take a look at 10 of the most fascinating places in Egypt - from The Great Pyramid of Giza to The Temple of Luxor.
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These Captivating Treasures Were Lifted From Shipwrecks!
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8 Shocking Historical Discoveries of the Last 20 Years
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An In-Depth Look at Palenque, Mexico in 4K
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10 Unspoiled Fossils of Animals & Other Items Explained
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6 Remarkable Yet Overlooked Minds That Shaped Our World
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Science Breakthrough: An Immunization Against Skin Cancer?
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10 Real-Life Technologies That Science Fiction Foretold
Sometimes even the wildest science-fiction predictions about the future come true.
Do You Know What Alzheimer's Really Is?
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These Archaeological Finds Left the World Mystified
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This Is Why You Should Choose Paper Towels Over Air Dryers
Jet air dryers seem to provide a rapid solution to drying our hands in public restrooms, but they're actually havens for bacteria. Take a look.
Whatever Happened to that Hole in the Ozone Layer?
Let's embark on this enlightening journey to better understand our atmosphere's health.
What Metals Do We Mine the Most? This Graph Shows All!
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Ever Wonder What Life Is Like if We Zoom In All the Way?
A selection of some of the winning photographs from Nikon's yearly macro photography contest.
Is it REALLY the Coffee that Wakes Us Up in the Morning?
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GUIDE: How Alcohol Affects Us, Drink by Drink...
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NASA's Plan to Colonize the Moon by 2026
NASA has a Moon colonization plan that involves utilizing 3D printers to construct an entire space station by 2026. Here's what it will look like.
WATCH: This is What Occurs In Our Brain When We're In Love
We all love being in love, and actually crave it and need it, but what actually happens to our brains when we're in love? Watch this TED Talk to find out.
10 Classic Paradoxes fom Philosophy, Math, and Physics
in every sphere of human knowledge, we’re bound to run into inconsistencies. That’s how fascinating paradoxes like these are born.
Chocolate Exposed! Here's What It Does to Your Brain!
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Let's Talk About Size, From Big to Huge.
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Watch This Man Build a Future Using Trash from the Past
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These Ancient Inventions Have Got Scientists Stumped!
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What on Earth Is a Black Hole? This Video Explains All...
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Incredible: First-Ever Complete Map of an Insect's Brain
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20 Amazingly Simple Inventions That Make Life Easier
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25 Feats of Engineering that Leave Everyone Amazed
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The Facts You Didn't Know About the Human Body...
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These 20 Tech Inventions Will Define the Next Decade
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The Oldest Medicines That Have Stood the Test of Time
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Science Lesson: How Does Laser Tattoo Removal Work?
How laser removal of tattoos actually works. These guys are going to find out and explain it to us.