TED Talks Daily Let's scan the whole planet with LiDAR | Chris Fisher
Aug 10, 2020
Archaeologist Chris Fisher advocates for the global use of LiDAR technology to map and preserve our cultural and ecological heritage. He shares his thrilling experiences in the Honduran rainforest, showcasing how LiDAR revealed an ancient city buried beneath the jungle. The conversation highlights the urgency of creating an Earth Archive to document our planet's current state amid climate change threats. Fisher urges us to act now, ensuring that future generations can learn from the past through this revolutionary preservation method.
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Mosquitia Rainforest Experience
- Chris Fisher's experience in the Mosquitia rainforest was transformative, highlighting its untouched nature.
- The jungle's untouched state, devoid of plastic and filled with unafraid animals, amazed him.
Archaeology's advancements and crisis
- Archaeology has advanced tools and technology for understanding our planet.
- The climate crisis creates urgency to document everything before it's lost.
Inefficiency of Traditional Archaeology
- Traditional archaeology methods, like mapping by hand, proved inefficient for large sites.
- Discovering a large city in Michoacan, Mexico, emphasized the need for better technology.