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NOVA scienceNOW: Maya
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Program Overview
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Scientists investigate ancient Mayan temples and ruins in Guatemala to better
understand factors that contributed to the collapse of ancient Mayan
civilization.
This NOVA scienceNOW segment:
describes how the ancient Mayans dominated Central America for 12
centuries and that the city of Tikal was a bustling metropolis and center of
culture that lasted for 1,000 years, while Europe was still in the Dark
Ages. questions how the ancient Mayan civilization, numbering in the millions, could have lost around 80 percent of its population in about 40 years. introduces archeologist Bill Saturno and his team, who are searching for
the beginnings of Mayan civilization to better understand how it collapsed. discusses a NASA remote-sensing satellite technology that uses infrared
radiation to reveal hidden land details that can be visualized on maps. concludes with the theory that Mayans may have been partly responsible
for their own collapse by destroying their environment and contributing to a
significant drought.
Taping Rights: Can be used up to one year after the program is taped off the air.
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