Archaeologists have been using high technology to get a better understanding of botany, the Earth, and soil science. Now researchers have discovered lost cities and structures near a Guatemalan jungle using the same cutting-edge technology.

Researchers Discover Lost Cities And Palaces

Through LiDAR technology, researchers have been able to discover structures such as cities, highways, fortifications, houses, and palaces near northern Peten, an area close to ancient Mayan structures.

Archaeologists strongly believe using LiDAR technology will help shed a different light on the Maya civilization.

They also discovered an unidentified pyramid on Tikal, which is located further into a Guatemalan jungle. The technology found that the city was also much bigger than what they previously thought.

"I think this is one of the greatest advances in over 150 years of Maya archaeology," said Stephen Houston, professor of Archaeology and Anthropology at Brown University, focused in the study of finding material remains in the ancient, historic, and modern Americas.

Professor Houston said that the discoveries were "breathtaking" and that the imagery brought him to tears.

Aircrafts With LiDAR Technology

How did researchers discover lost cities in a Guatemalan jungle? The group of researchers used aircrafts, such as planes or helicopters, with LiDAR technology to create a 3D map of what it looks like underneath the jungle, in addition to an augmented reality app.

The researchers decided to map an area of 772 square miles in northern Peten jungle, which is close to Mexico.

Once they removed the canopies, researchers found more than 60,000 structures that were discovered in the past two years. This includes everything from urban centers, homes, terraces, canals, and fortifications.

In addition, researchers found Mayan cities had been connected due to highways that were elevated to allow easy ways to get through during tropical seasons.

Researchers also found that in the new data, it wouldn't be hard to believe if there were close to 15 million living there, especially in low-lying areas such as swamps.

Technology Helps Discover Lost Cities

The benefits of using technology allows researchers to discover lost cities in a Guatemalan jungle after they were abandoned by people that used to live there.

Thanks to using aircrafts with scanner technology, more 3D maps can be produced by using the laser that is connected to a GPS system. Another benefit of using this technology is researchers no longer have to cut through the jungle.