Mapping History

Literally

Hiya!

When I was between the ages of ten and twelve, my parents took a freeway exit every morning to my school that overlooks the Willamette River and the many buildings along it. And every morning, I wondered what the landscape looked like before humans colonized it. This curiosity remains with me to this day. I often wonder what structures/cultures/tribes once occupied the land I walk upon or lay forgotten beneath my feet.

Well, it turns out archaeologists have similar curiosities, but they have a problem. Humans are growing, spreading, and building faster than archaeologists can find and preserve archaeological sites. Meaning history is lost before it can be found. Thankfully, brilliant minds found solutions that can help us map history — literally.

Disappearing History

Italy was the first European country I ever visited, and I marveled at the ancient structures and architectural wonders that survived for so many years. I lost count of the buildings still standing in Rome and Florence that are older than The United States.

It’s easy to romanticize living among such rich history, but a local confided to me that the reality is far less charming. New construction is regularly stalled due to uncovering remains of the past, and regulations often prioritize preserving the past over modernizing.

It’s a tricky balance, to be sure, yet most places prioritize urbanization and economic development instead. Between that, military conflicts, and global warming, archaeological sites worldwide are disappearing.

The good news is that technology has advanced enough to provide scientists with tools to help archaeologists discover more ruins in less time — both above ground and beneath it.

New Technology

One such solution is Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) — which I told you about before. LiDAR helps archaeologists map the planet’s terrain and reveal ancient cities or structures hidden beneath dense foliage.

The equipment is usually attached to the bottom of airplanes or helicopters, where it transmits laser pulses to the ground and then measures the time the light takes to return after it bounces off an object. The information is used to create digital 3-D maps of landscapes. It can also be used on the ground to survey vegetation.

LiDAR is fantastic at locating ruins hidden on the planet’s surface, but it can’t tell us what’s beneath it. Now, scientists have found a way to map what lies under entire landscapes within days.