Belize's "Blue Hole" Reveals Clues To Maya's Demise

An anonymous reader writes The collapse of the Mayan civilization has been a mystery for decades, but now new research suggests that the blue hole of Belize could provide an answer. Studying minerals from Belize's famous underwater cave, researchers have discovered that an extreme drought occurred between AD 800 and AD 900, which is when the Mayan civilization collapsed. From the article: "Although the findings aren't the first to tie a drought to the Mayan culture's demise, the new results strengthen the case that dry periods were indeed the culprit. That's because the data come from several spots in a region central to the Mayan heartland, said study co-author André Droxler, an Earth scientist at Rice University."

Comments

megadrought theory old

[rubycodez]

Not really new news to me, 30 years ago taught that a megadrought was likely cause for collapse of most (not all, continued in the north) of Mayan civilization

Re:megadrought theory old

[C0R1D4N]

He is incorrect saying "before Columbus" but the first expeditions onto mainland America in the early 1500s showed massive populations that weren't there at the time of early colonization in the late 1500s/early 1600s.

Re:Global warming!

[CaptainDork]

This.

And, poor farming practices -- not entirely the Mayan's fault -- and a refusal to migrate away from great wealth and technology.