Lost Maya city found in Mexico: BBC Learning English from the News

Summary

In this BBC Learning English episode, hosts Beth and Pippa discuss the fascinating discovery of a lost Maya city deep within the Mexican jungle. Using laser technology, PhD students uncovered evidence of this ancient city, which had remained hidden despite being in plain sight. They explore key expressions like 'by accident,' 'hiding in plain sight,' and 'not even close,' helping listeners understand both the vocabulary and the news story. The episode highlights how new technology aids archaeologists in uncovering hidden aspects of history, with experts suggesting many more Maya cities may still be waiting to be discovered.

Takeaways

• 😀 A huge lost Maya city was discovered in the Mexican jungle by accident when PhD students revisited an old laser survey of the area.
• 😀 The city, located 15 km from a main road, could have housed up to 50,000 people before the Maya civilization began to collapse in 800 AD.
• 😀 The discovery includes evidence of ancient buildings, plazas, temple pyramids, and even a court for an ancient ball game.
• 😀 The Maya city was hiding in plain sight, meaning it was clearly visible but had been overlooked by previous surveys and explorers.
• 😀 The expression 'hiding in plain sight' refers to something being easily visible but not noticed or recognized, like the Maya city in the jungle.
• 😀 New laser technology played a crucial role in the discovery, allowing scientists to survey remote and difficult-to-access areas like jungles.
• 😀 The discovery suggests that there could be many more hidden Maya cities yet to be found using similar laser surveys.
• 😀 The headline 'PhD student finds lost city in Mexico jungle by accident' emphasizes that the discovery was unintentional, highlighting the concept of 'by accident'.
• 😀 The phrase 'not even close' is used in the script to emphasize that scientists are far from having discovered all the major Maya cities.
• 😀 The podcast also highlights the potential of new technology to reveal more about ancient civilizations and their histories.

Q & A

What was the major discovery discussed in the transcript?

The major discovery discussed in the transcript is the finding of a lost Maya city in the Mexican jungle by PhD students using a laser survey.

How did the PhD students discover the lost city?

The PhD students discovered the lost city by re-analyzing an old laser survey of the jungle that they found online, which had originally been focused on the jungle's environment.

What does the phrase 'by accident' mean in the context of the discovery?

'By accident' means that the PhD students did not intend to find the city; it was an unexpected discovery while reviewing the survey data.

What is the difference between 'by accident' and 'on purpose'?

'By accident' refers to doing something unintentionally, while 'on purpose' means doing something with intention or planning.

What does the phrase 'hiding in plain sight' mean?

'Hiding in plain sight' refers to something that is clearly visible, but was not recognized or noticed until later, as in the case of the Maya city being overlooked despite being close to existing settlements.

How did laser technology help in the discovery of the Maya city?

Laser technology made it easier for scientists to survey the jungle and uncover evidence of hidden structures, such as temples and plazas, beneath the dense jungle cover.

What evidence did archaeologists find in the lost Maya city?

Archaeologists found evidence of temple pyramids, plazas, and a court where people likely played an ancient ball game.

What does the phrase 'not even close' mean in the context of the headline about Maya cities?

'Not even close' means that scientists are far from discovering all the major Maya cities; it emphasizes that many more cities remain to be found.

What are the potential implications of the discovery for future archaeological work?

The discovery suggests that there could be many more hidden Maya cities still to be discovered using similar laser surveys, which would provide further insights into ancient Maya civilization.

What is the significance of the Maya city being just 15 km from where Maya people still live today?

The proximity of the Maya city to modern settlements highlights the historical continuity of the Maya civilization, with people still living in the area where their ancestors once thrived.