A new study reveals that the ancient Maya people had a hidden problem. For centuries, their cities were leaking mercury into the environment. Mercury is a heavy metal that is toxic to humans and animals.

The Maya people loved to use a bright red pigment. They used it to decorate buildings, caves, and even their own bodies. This paint was made using a mineral called cinnabar, which is rich in mercury.

Over time, the mercury from this paint washed away into the soil and the water. Rain would wash the dust from buildings and paved areas into nearby lakes and ponds.

Researchers tested the soil and lake sediment at several Maya sites. They found levels of mercury that were much higher than normal. In some places, the water was so polluted that it would have been very dangerous for people to drink or catch fish there.

Experts believe this pollution lasted for hundreds of years. It was not a sudden accident, but a slow process caused by their daily habits. This discovery shows that the Maya were changing their environment in ways they likely did not understand at the time.

Even today, the mercury is still sitting in the mud at the bottom of these lakes. It serves as a reminder that even great ancient civilizations could accidentally harm the world around them.

Source: Phys.org