Stunning 3D laser maps reveal the sprawling Mayan 'megalopolis' hidden in Guatemala

Stunning new maps covering over 2,000 square kilometers of northern Guatemala have revealed the site of an ancient Maya mega-city hidden in the dense tropical forest. Researchers uncovered more than 61,000 ancient structures at the site using LiDAR technology, which relies on laser pulses to map out the topography. Evidence from the exhaustive survey supports earlier suspicions that upwards of 11 million people lived in the Maya Lowlands from the year 650 to 800 CE. Stunning new maps covering over 2,000 square kilometers of northern Guatemala have revealed the site of an ancient Maya megacity hidden in the dense tropical forest. The researchers have now published the results of what they say is the largest LiDAR survey to date, months after first revealing their remarkable discovery.