VOA科学技术2024--Researchers Discover Large, Ancient Mayan City

Researchers Discover Large, Ancient Mayan City

Researchers in Mexico have discovered a large, lost Mayan city.

The major urban settlement, named Valeriana, is hidden deep in the southern forest of Campeche.

The discovery adds to existing knowledge about ancient Mayan settlements.

Valeriana was discovered by chance thanks to Lidar, or Light Detection and Ranging. It is a technology that uses lasers to map the Earth's surface.

The data used for the study came from around 122 square kilometers of high-quality Lidar data collected in 2013.

The work, led by the Nature Conservancy in Mexico, was part of a forest monitoring project called Alianza. The project aimed to reduce emissions¹ from tree cutting, or deforestation, and land damage.

Researchers wrote in the study, published by Cambridge University Press, that "The discovery of Valeriana highlights the fact that there are still major gaps in our knowledge of the existence or absence of large sites within as-yet unmapped areas of the Maya Lowlands."

Lidar technology revealed a major settlement, filled with buildings and agricultural infrastructure².

The classical-era Maya civilization dates back to around 1800 to 1100 years ago. At the time, the Maya civilization grew its control over present-day southern Mexico and what are now Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

In the study, the researchers identified a total of 6,764 structures, suggesting a populous³ ancient city.

The researchers will carry out further detailed⁴ study of the dataset - both remotely and in the field. The discovery serves as a way to better understand ancient Mayan urbanization and settlements.

I'm John Russell.

Raul Cortes reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English.

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Words in This Story

urban - adj. of, relating to, characteristic of, or constituting a city

monitor -- v. to watch, keep track of, or check usually for a special purpose

highlight - v. to constitute a significant or especially interesting part of; to center attention on

infrastructure - n. the resources (such as buildings, roads, irrigation, or equipment) required for an activity

1 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

2 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

3 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。

4 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。