PhD student finds lost Mayan city with 6,000+ buildings in old LiDAR dataset
bilawalsidhu · x · 2026-11-11
A PhD student re-examined a 2013 LiDAR dataset of Mexico and uncovered a lost Mayan city hidden under dense jungle canopy — 6,000+ buildings including pyramids and palaces that no one knew existed.
LiDAR's multiple returns let it penetrate vegetation, and as aerial surveys expand with drones and fixed-wing aircraft, discovering lost cities is becoming routine. The author notes many more datasets sit in silos waiting to be analyzed.
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