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The abandoned cities and giant monuments of the Maya, found throughout the Yucatán, are one of the greatest mysteries in human history. Why did this great empire collapse suddenly in 950 AD, leaving its massive urban centers to be consumed by jungle? New evidence suggests that the Mayans may have created such vast farms that they managed to change the local climate in a catastrophic way. More »
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To help save a critically endangered Central American species of river turtle, conservationists examined the gene pools of three highly isolated populations. What they discovered is a surprising legacy of the ancient Mayan civilization. More »
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In 1492, Christopher Columbus landed in what is now the Bahamas, changing the world forever. But was he first non-indigenous person to reach the Americas? Vikings got there before him, and possibly Polynesians too...and those are just the sane theories. More »
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These Mayan jawbones are centuries old, and demonstrate the venerable tradition of tooth bling (in this case, jade and iron pyrite). But they're also part of a strange tale of international bone theft. More »
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If you need a hoot, check out 2012: Science or Superstition, all about the ancient Mayan prophesy that the world ends in 2012. Which apparently has much to do with VCR clocks. More »
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Aliens didn't build these ancient urban structures, but the Mayan culture that did is so remote (roughly 1500 years old) that their architecture feels alien. Partly this is because of the mysterious collapse of the urban Mayan empire, in which people abandoned the cities full of these giant monuments, moving into smaller cities and farm regions where the descendants of Mayans live to this day. More »
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The creepy-ass tarry-eyed mass-murderer girl from Heroes turns out to have a science-fiction pedigree. Dania Ramirez played Callisto in X-Men 3. AND she was a potential slayer who flirted with Xander in the final few episodes of Buffy. Ramirez says those roles helped prepare her for all the physical action involving Maya, who's trying to sneak into the U.S. with her twin brother. But otherwise, the super-powered chick roles have nothing in common, she insists. Minor spoiler: More »
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