Journey to the Past

Every day, satellites orbit Earth taking pictures. These images are used for everything from intelligence to weather prediction and even today’s topic – archeology. When you hear the term “space archeology” you might envision a khaki-clad astronaut excavating the Moon.  But, space archeologists are actually Earth-bound researchers who use satellite and other aerial imagery to assist in archeological applications right here on our home planet. This imagery is used to find new archeological sites, track changes on already discovered ones, and even helps fight looting. On today’s episode, we hear from a researcher using this technology in Central America to see below the trees and assess where ancient structures may have been. And we talk to a Smithsonian scholar who uses satellite data for cultural heritage preservation. Did you know AirSpace has a monthly newsletter? Sign up here! AirSpace is made possible by the generous support of Olay.