By: |For decades, many scientists believed the Amazon rainforest was one of the world’s last untouched wildernesses. However, recent archaeological discoveries have completely changed that view. Using LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), researchers uncovered an extensive network of ancient settlements, roads, plazas, and engineered landscapes hidden beneath the dense forest canopy. Scientists then digitally remove the vegetation from the images, allowing hidden archaeological structures to emerge. Researchers believe thousands of additional archaeological sites still lie hidden beneath the forest, and future LiDAR surveys will likely uncover many more.