Sprawling Mayan network discovered under Guatemala jungle

Re:Sprawling Mayan network discovered under Guatemala jungle by credit_guy on Saturday February 03, 2018 @07:29AM (#16297363)

In other words 100 billion to 1 trillion. The world’s land area, excluding Antarctica, is about 50 million sq. miles. With a comfortable population density of 1000 ppl/sqm (like in South Korea, Holland, Israel, or the state of New Jersey) you would get to 50 billion (same as Trantor). The population density of Singapore is close to 20k ppl/sqm, that would give you 1 trillion.

If you are willing to pad the Earth with buildings 16 km high, you could pack at least 1000 times more people, more likely 1 million times more.

Maybe that letter to Science mentioned 10^18?

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Re:Sprawling Mayan network discovered under Guatemala jungle by mirimir on Saturday February 03, 2018 @07:30PM (#16300535)

I don't remember the number. What I recall is just that it was an absurdly huge estimate. And I'd love to have a copy of that ~1975 letter, if anyone has access to requisite tools.

And, in case it's not obvious, it's not a world that I'd care to live in.

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