[danso]

Maybe the link should be changed to Gizmodo instead of "BBC Trending" (which seems to be the linkbait division of BBC)...Gizmodo has much more detail and original reporting, e.g. contacting the Canadian Space Agency for comment:

http://gizmodo.com/experts-doubt-that-a-teen-found-a-lost-ma...

FWIW, the CSA doesn't seem to have much of an explanation...

> We asked De Lisle to respond to the claims made by experts that this is “junk science,” and that the objects in the satellite photos are probably abandoned milpas. To which he responded: “The area of interest covers more than 78 square kilometers, and many linear features that appear manmade are visible from space.” Which is not much of an answer.

If the Maya ruins end up being nothing, I think this story is a great example of how silly it is to think of science as one monolithic entity, where every scientist automatically has a clue about fields far outside of their expertise. The CSA were likely impressed with the kid's tracking of the stars...there's no reason to think the CSA has any expertise in what an actual Maya city looks like.

[fleitz]

Science is a method, I don't understand why 'science' is all lumped together anymore than mechanics and carpenters being 'hammer users'

[Vraxx]

While I think your point about misplaced expertise is a accurate point in most regards, there is reason to believe that the space agency might have some expertise in the field of remote sensing. NASA launched many satellites that are invaluable tools for the field and they continue to research data gathered by these satellites and post it on many of their sites [0]. They also employ image analysts trained in analyzing this data, so it's not that far fetched to believe the Canadian Space Agency might have had image analysts that agreed with the kid. I'd also like to add that I would also have expected some sort of in person verification, or at least higher resolution aerial imagery to have been gathered before breaking out the party cake.

[0]: http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/

edit: oops, I forgot my link

[sickbeard]

I think "discovered" is a sticking point for a lot of people. how can you discover something if you haven't verified it with boots? Somehow everything got lost in translation.