Experts pour scorn on boy's discovery of lost Maya city
MEXICO CITY — A Canadian teenager's revelation that he discovered a lost Maya city has been debunked by experts.
The findings of William Gadoury, 15, will be published in a scientific journal, and he is due to present them at a science fair in Brazil next year, the Independent reported.
However, archaeologists, historians and anthropologists have told media they aren't so sure he's right.
Gadoury had a theory the Maya people built their cities in line with with the major constellations and found that his hypothesis correlated with maps of known ancient settlements, the Independent reported.
Using satellite images, the boy from Quebec believed he discovered a missing city on the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico, where a constellation suggests it would be, according to the Independent.
However, the site covers up to 120 square kilometers, and Maya expert Robert Rosenswig, an associate professor at the University of Albany, SUNY, told CNN it's "highly unlikely" a city that big could go unnoticed.
"That area of Mexico is not that inaccessible, and it's fairly well known," Rosenswig told CNN. "So the idea that this size city could go undetected, although not impossible, is highly unlikely."
Rosenswig also told CNN that satellite images do not provide information about the depth or height of structures, so there was no evidence to corroborate Gadoury's theory he could see pyramids at the site.
In all likelihood, the images show fields that have been left fallow, probably for 10 or 15 years, according to experts who spoke to CNN, Gizmodo and the Washington Post.
Anthropologists and historians who spoke to the media agreed the ancient Maya area was densely populated, so archaeological sites were everywhere. Therefore any correlation with the stars was coincidental.
The Canadian Space Agency, which supplied Gadoury with satellite images of the site, told Gizmodo the only way to prove or disprove the theory was to organize an expedition to the area.
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The findings of William Gadoury, 15, will be published in a scientific journal, and he is due to present them at a science fair in Brazil next year, the Independent reported.
However, archaeologists, historians and anthropologists have told media they aren't so sure he's right.
Gadoury had a theory the Maya people built their cities in line with with the major constellations and found that his hypothesis correlated with maps of known ancient settlements, the Independent reported.
Using satellite images, the boy from Quebec believed he discovered a missing city on the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico, where a constellation suggests it would be, according to the Independent.
However, the site covers up to 120 square kilometers, and Maya expert Robert Rosenswig, an associate professor at the University of Albany, SUNY, told CNN it's "highly unlikely" a city that big could go unnoticed.
"That area of Mexico is not that inaccessible, and it's fairly well known," Rosenswig told CNN. "So the idea that this size city could go undetected, although not impossible, is highly unlikely."
Rosenswig also told CNN that satellite images do not provide information about the depth or height of structures, so there was no evidence to corroborate Gadoury's theory he could see pyramids at the site.
In all likelihood, the images show fields that have been left fallow, probably for 10 or 15 years, according to experts who spoke to CNN, Gizmodo and the Washington Post.
Anthropologists and historians who spoke to the media agreed the ancient Maya area was densely populated, so archaeological sites were everywhere. Therefore any correlation with the stars was coincidental.
The Canadian Space Agency, which supplied Gadoury with satellite images of the site, told Gizmodo the only way to prove or disprove the theory was to organize an expedition to the area.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to TomoNews, where we animate the most entertaining news on the internets. Come here for an animated look at viral headlines, US news, celebrity gossip, salacious scandals, dumb criminals and much more! Subscribe now for daily news animations that will knock your socks off.
Visit our official website for all the latest, uncensored videos: http://us.tomonews.net
Check out our Android app: http://bit.ly/1rddhCj
Check out our iOS app: http://bit.ly/1gO3z1f
Get top stories delivered to your inbox everyday: http://bit.ly/tomo-newsletter
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Twitter @tomonewsus http://www.twitter.com/TomoNewsUS
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