Stunning archaeological discoveries made in Brazil in recent years have upended conventional wisdom about the forests of the western Amazon.
According to Simon Romero, writing in the New York Times, the massive deforestation that has occurred in the Amazon, beginning in the 1970s, has exposed "flawlessly designed geometric shapes spanning hundreds of yards in diameter." The new findings could have an impact on our understanding of the ecological history of the Amazon and on the ongoing debate about razing parts of the forest to support agriculture or grazing.
"Instead of being pristine forests, barely inhabited by people, parts of the Amazon may have been home for centuries to large populations numbering well into the thousands and living in dozens of towns connected by road networks, explains the American writer Charles C. Mann."
According to Denise Schaan, an archaeologist at the Federal University of Pará in Brazil who now leads research on the geoglyphs, "the earthworks are 'one of the most important discoveries of our time.' But the repopulation of this part of the Amazon threatens the survival of the geoglyphs, after being hidden for centuries."
FULL STORY: Once Hidden by Forest, Carvings in Land Attest to Amazon’s Lost World
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
DC Bikeshare System Breaks Ridership Record
Capital Bikeshare users took over 20,000 rides on one day in March.
EV Infrastructure Booming in Suburbs, Cities Lag Behind
A lack of access to charging infrastructure is holding back EV adoption in many US cities.
Seattle Road Safety Advocates Say Transportation Levy Perpetuates Car-Centric Status Quo
Critics of a proposed $1.3 billion transportation levy say the package isn’t enough to keep up with inflation and rising costs and fails to support a shift away from car-oriented infrastructure.
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