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

Posted by samzenpus on from the drop-of-water dept.

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."

9 of 80 comments (clear)

  1. Global warming! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's so bad that even the past is affected.

    1. Re:Global warming! by cyberchondriac · · Score: 4, Funny

      They should have performed more sacrifices!

      --

      Look back up at my post, now look back down, you're on the Internet. Now look back up. I'm a signature.
  2. megadrought theory old by rubycodez · · Score: 4, Interesting

    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

    1. Re:megadrought theory old by rubycodez · · Score: 3, Informative

      there was evidence for it, so more than hypothesis

    2. Re:megadrought theory old by CrimsonAvenger · · Score: 3, Informative

      Also remember that American history hide the realities of the American Indians. They had HUGE cities that were as large as some european cities.

      Which "American history" hides this? What I had in HS 30 years ago mentioned Aztec, Maya, Inca cities quite clearly. As well as the droughts and smallpox that seems to have done them in.

      Or were you trying to suggest that the Indians north of the Rio Grande also had huge cities? If so, then, to put it politely, you were mistaken....

      --

      "I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
    3. Re:megadrought theory old by C0R1D4N · · Score: 3, Interesting

      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.

    4. Re:megadrought theory old by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      Which has precisely nothing to do with the Mayans, since no Europeans visited any diseases upon them.

      I am mayan, and there are plenty of mayans in mexico, belize and guatemala. I hate that people think we died long ago. We got visited plenty by the europeans. And still continue to this day be visited by europeans.

    5. Re:megadrought theory old by Delwin · · Score: 4, Informative

      Jehovah's Witness != Mormon.

      Two different religions who knock on your door. Please don't confuse them.

  3. Global warming! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    You do realize that current leading theories of the cause of the drought in question was mass deforestation caused by the Mayan Civilization?