7 Ancient Mysteries That Can Be Deciphered In The 21st Century

Archaeologist Fredrik Hiebert predicts new technology of the 21st century can help people solve interesting archaeological mysteries.

Uncovered Unknown Civilizations in Central and South America

"Archaeologists are using laser Skull hoodies scanning technology called LiDAR to 'see through' trees in the jungles of Honduras and Belize in search of civilizations we don't know yet," Hiebert said. . Photo: Dave Yoder/National Geographic.

Found the tomb of Genghis Khan or Alexander the Great

According to Hiebert, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) technology allows archaeologists to "see" the ground without digging. In National Geographic's Valley of the Khans project, Hiebert and colleagues used satellite images to identify possible sites for the burial of Genghis Khan, then used GPR technology to track the tomb. underground. Photo: Aristidis Vafeiadakis/Zuma Press/Corbis.

Entering China's first emperor's mausoleum

Archaeologists know the location of the burial site of emperor Qin Shi Huang - surrounded by clay warriors in Xi'an, China - but the risk of damaging items kept in the tomb for more than 2,000 years makes They were afraid to open the tomb. "Remote sensing tools like GPR and magnetometer sensors can help us visualize the structure inside graves. We also use tiny robotic devices that can enter graves and collect data without doesn't cause great damage," Hiebert said. 

Decoding the mysterious language of the ancient Minoan

It's been more than a century since the Minoan civilization of the Mediterranean was discovered, but scholars have yet to decipher the Linear A language they used. "We collected more than 1,400 Linear A samples to study and we skull apparel able to decode this language using IBM's Watson artificial intelligence software," said Hiebert.

Understand the purpose of the strange drawings on the Nasca plateau

Researchers are still hypothesized about the birth of these strange drawings on the Nasca Plateau in Peru. They can represent constellations or are associated with water sources. "Computer analysis to process geological and archaeological data is really important," says Hiebert. 

Neanderthal primitive human body found

As the ice sheets melt due to global warming, it is likely that scientists will find well-preserved proto-Neanderthals, like the 40,000-year-old baby mammoth in Siberia.