Posted on 04/20/2009 9:52:16 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
What destroyed the ancient Mayan civilization that built sophisticated calendars and ruled the Yucatan peninsula for millennia? The answer may be as simple as they cut down the trees. That's the theory from new scientific research developed in large part through University of Alabama in Huntsville satellite analysis technology, Vice President for Research Dr. John Horack says. The "satellite archaeology" technology and its uses in Central America were in the briefing package prepared for President Obama to take to the Conference of the Americas summit, Horack said... The Mayan findings will be presented to the Society of American Archaeologists meeting in Atlanta on Friday, Horack said, and will be featured in the journal Science... The Mayans needed and developed sophisticated mass agricultural techniques, Horack said, but they lacked the technology to drill through the limestone subsurface to groundwater below. Instead, they developed intricate irrigation systems including large underground pools. Cutting the trees for agriculture and building raised the temperature of the land on the peninsula by 2-5 degrees Celsius during the rainy season, scientists now theorize, cutting rainfall up to 30 percent. The result? Intolerable strain on Mayan civilization... Servir is also helping Central American nations answer key questions today about their land and resources, Horack said. Trustees ended their two-day meeting at UAH with an endorsement of Williams.
(Excerpt) Read more at al.com ...
|
|||
Gods |
To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. |
||
· Discover · Nat Geographic · Texas AM Anthro News · Yahoo Anthro & Archaeo · Google · · The Archaeology Channel · Excerpt, or Link only? · cgk's list of ping lists · |
Wonder what Roy Spencer has to say? ;-)
Dr. Roy Spencer, a well-known global warming skeptic frequently cited by Rush, is at the Univ. of Alabama-Huntsville. It looks as if Academia is striking back in it’s typical way by giving him a new boss.....
Thanks. Figures, eh?
Recent research has shown that it was in fact a native disease that caused those deaths, and that it was brought on by climate change. And no, that change wasn't brought on by CO2 pumped into the air by the evil SUV's of the Europeans. It was a natural change, and after many years of drought, there was rainfall which increased the rodent population, which brought the disease to the natives.
So maybe it was NATURAL climate change, that brought about the destruction of the Mayan civilization, especially if they were not ready for it, and didn't have the knowledge to deal with the consequences of it.
Thanks! There’s also a topic or three on FR regarding the evidence of natural climate cycles from Precolumbian contexts.
Yeah! That was it! It was just fascinating!
Thanks blam!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.