Executive TL;DR
- Amazonian civilization had an estimated 3 million people in 3% of the forest area.
- Lidar technology is helping researchers understand how ancient civilizations shaped the rainforest.
- The discovery challenges the idea of the ‘pristine, untouched Amazon’.
The Buzz Score
The Internet’s Verdict: 70% Hyped, 30% Skeptical
Understanding the Discovery
Researchers have made a significant discovery about the Amazonian civilization.
The myth of the ‘pristine, untouched Amazon’ was always a European trope. Lidar is proving that ancient civilizations were sophisticated ecosystem engineers, shaping the rainforest for centuries without destroying it.
This finding is a continuation of many discoveries in this direction.
Originally heard about this via Nature podcast’s interview with the researcher. This is a continuation of many findings in this direction. It’s wonderful to imagine the many societies humans have created, and sad that we’ll be able to learn so little about them.
Impact and Implications
The Amazonian civilization’s impact on the environment is a topic of discussion.
In the past 40 years, Amazônia has lost more than 13% of its vegetation cover. This is loss of original forest cover, replaced by non-native vegetation: pasture, agriculture & tree plantations.
The discovery also raises questions about the fate of the Amazonian civilization.
It’s so crazy that they all just… died because of the old world diseases before anyone really got a chance to meet them as a civilization.
Focus Keyword: Amazonian Civilization
