The Maya city of Tikal is famous for its soaring palaces and temples. But something far more humble kept Tikal functioning: its water filtration system, the earliest known of its kind. ScienceMagArchives
The Maya city of Tikal is famous for its soaring palaces and temples. But something far more humble kept Tikal functioning: its water filtration system, the earliest known of its kind. Researchers recently discovered a volcanic mineral that captures microbes and heavy metals in one of Tikal's largest reservoirs. Because the material is not found nearby, the finding suggests the presence of a deliberate filter.
Nestled in the tropical forests of northern Guatemala, Tikal flourished for more than 1000 years. At the height of its prosperity, around 700 C.E., it's thought to have been home to more than 45,000 people."It was one of the preeminent Maya cities," says Nicholas Dunning, a UC geoarchaeologist. A few years ago, Dunning and his colleagues excavated sediments from several of Tikal's reservoirs. They were surprised to find that one of the largest reservoirs, Corriental, had significantly less contamination from heavy metals, toxin-producing algae, and a mineral associated with fecal pollution than the others."The water quality at Corriental was much higher," Dunning says.
So, the researchers looked closer at the sediments at the bottom of the reservoir. The first hint of an ancient filter was the discovery of quartz crystals. The scientists found four distinct layers, each a few centimeters thick, of brownish, millimeter-scale crystals. Then, the researchers examined the quartz in greater detail and discovered it was dotted with even smaller crystals of"zeolites.
Deutschland Neuesten Nachrichten, Deutschland Schlagzeilen
Similar News:Sie können auch ähnliche Nachrichten wie diese lesen, die wir aus anderen Nachrichtenquellen gesammelt haben.
Western sanctions catch up with Russia’s wartime economyThe establishment of a new council to coordinate military supplies reflects the Kremlin's grave concerns over the economy.
Weiterlesen »
Active weather for Western WA & the Cascades through the weekend.Rain, wind, and mountain snow keep us very active from the lowlands to the mountains. Expect delays when traveling across the Cascades through early Monday. FOX13
Weiterlesen »
Western sanctions catch up with Russia's wartime economy\u0027All objective indicators show there is a very strong drop in economic activity\u0027
Weiterlesen »
Helena Pueyo stuffing the stat sheet; Maya Nnaji finishing strong as UA wins two in San DiegoNews and notes from No. 15 Arizona's two wins in the San Diego Classic this weekend.
Weiterlesen »
Oil prices fall 2% as Chinese demand worries lingerOil prices fell 2% on Friday in thin market liquidity, closing a week marked by worries about Chinese demand and haggling over a Western price cap on Russian oil.
Weiterlesen »