[C19fan]

My wife is originally from Guatemala. I had the chance to go to the Mayan ruins at Tikal and Copan. The people who ran Tikal built massive reservoirs near the center of the city to capture the rain water during the rainy season.

[rfreedom4u]

an intense drought that lasted a century

So it wasn’t the conquistadors after all huh?

[a fool in paradise]

Caused by SUVs in Europe at the time, no doubt. #GLOBALCLIMATECHANGE

[trebb]

The hole formed tens of thousands of years ago when sea levels were much lower, being filled as the oceans began to rise.

If only they had been able to hold on until global warming kicked in...

Went to Cancun some years ago and made the bus trip through the forest to Chichen Itza - enjoyed it.

[null and void]

Yes, yes, yes, but did they save the Delta Smelt???

[WayneS]

Drought?

That means: Global “climate change”.

That means: Bush’s fault!

[NorthstarMom]

I’ve heard a theory that since they tossed the remains of their human sacrifices into the same water they used for drinking, they eventually did themselves in.

[arthurus]

The Mayan cities in the areas that stayed wet died out first. The cities in the dried up areas lasted much longer. There was a drought.

[Hot Tabasco]

I had the chance to go to the Mayan ruins at Tikal and Copan.

I toured Copan also back around 2003.....pretty cool place

[blam]

Also this:

Historical Review: Megadrought And Megadeath In 16th Century Mexico (Hemorrhagic Fever)

"The epidemic of cocoliztli from1545 to 1548 killed an estimated 5 million to 15 million people, or up to 80% of the native population of Mexico (Figure 1). In absolute and relative terms the 1545 epidemic was one of the worst demographic catastrophes in human history, approaching even the Black Death of bubonic plague, which killed approximately 25 million in western Europe from 1347 to 1351 or about 50% of the regional population. "

[jalisco555]

This is completely off-topic but diving the blue hole is an awesome experience.