Numerous factors contributed to the demise of this great civilization

Aug 22, 2012 15:07 GMT  ·  By
The Maya civilization was destroyed by a wide array of factors, including climate change
   The Maya civilization was destroyed by a wide array of factors, including climate change

A careful analysis of the reasons why the Maya Civilization declined at the end of the 9th century surprisingly reveals lessons that can be applied by politicians, decision-makers, sustainability experts and conservationists today. A new study finally lists the reason for the Maya downfall.

According to investigators, no single cause was responsible for this event above others. Natural events such as climate change and man-made processes, such as altering landscapes and trading routes, conspired to lead to the abandonment of the Yucatán Peninsula by the great civilization.

Details of the new systemic analysis appear in the August 21 early online issue of the esteemed journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, in a paper authored by social scientists B.L. Turner and Jeremy A. Sabloff, Science Blog reports.

“The Maya case lends insights for the use of paleo- and historical analogs to inform contemporary global environment change and sustainability. Balance between the extremes of generalization and context is required,” the investigators write in their paper.