posted on Nov, 16 2004 @ 10:27 PM
Can we now use modern technology to keep history from repeating inself? Can we study ancient ruins and find what caused their demise, and stop us from
making the same mistakes?
November 15, 2004: Where the rain forests of Guatemala now stand, a great civilization once flourished. The people of Mayan society built vast cities,
ornate temples, and towering pyramids. At its peak around 900 A.D., the population numbered 500 people per square mile in rural areas, and more than
2,000 people per square mile in the cities -- comparable to modern Los Angeles County.
This vibrant "Classic Period" of Mayan civilization thrived for six centuries. Then, for some reason, it collapsed.
science.nasa.gov...
From pollen trapped in ancient layers of lake sediment, scientists have learned that around 1,200 years ago, just before the civilization's collapse,
tree pollen disappeared almost completely and was replaced by the pollen of weeds. In other words, the region became almost completely deforested.
Are we doing the same thing all over again, and then some? Deforestation is going on all over the world, along with overpopulation, pollution, war
strife, terroism, biological warfare and much more. I hope we are smart enough to stop it this time. is this a glimpse of what we might do again? I
don't think we will ever be truly"civilized" until we learn to overcome the human desire to destroy every natural resource we can find!