Lasers reveal huge Mayan complex

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-42916261

Amazing story, I love this.

FROM THE ARTICLE:
"Mayan civilisation, at its peak some 1,500 years ago, covered an area about twice the size of medieval England, with an estimated population of around five million.
"With this new data it's no longer unreasonable to think that there were 10 to 15 million people there," said Mr Estrada-Belli, "including many living in low-lying, swampy areas that many of us had thought uninhabitable."
Most of the 60,000 newly identified structures are thought to be stone platforms that would have supported the average pole-and-thatch Mayan home.
The archaeologists were struck by the "incredible defensive features", which included walls, fortresses and moots.
They showed that the Mayans invested more resources into defending themselves than previously thought, Mr Garrison said.
One of the hidden finds is a seven-storey pyramid so covered in vegetation that it practically melts into the jungle.
Another discovery that surprised archaeologists was the complex network of causeways linking all the Mayan cities in the area. The raised highways, allowing easy passage even during rainy seasons, were wide enough to suggest they were heavily trafficked and used for trade.
"The idea of seeing a continuous landscape, but understanding everything is connected across many square miles is amazing," said Mr Houston.
"We can expect many further surprises," he added.
The Lidar survey was the first part of a three-year project led by a Guatemalan organisation that promotes cultural heritage preservation. It will eventually map more than 5,000 sq miles (14,000 sq km) of Guatemala's lowlands."