Graham Hancock

So it's not stopped. Terra Preta is still being made but most of it is very old and the oldest that they found so far is about 8,000 years old.

So it's not stopped. Terra Preta is still being made but most of it is very old and the oldest that they found so far is about 8,000 years old.

So it's not stopped. Terra Preta is still being made but most of it is very old and the oldest that they found so far is about 8,000 years old.

Yeah, that's right. See, a rainforest, even when you choose trees that are going to serve human needs, it's not enough. You do need to be able to plant in the rainforest. And that is what Terra Preta has allowed people to do. Rainforest soils are not particularly fertile.

Yeah, that's right. See, a rainforest, even when you choose trees that are going to serve human needs, it's not enough. You do need to be able to plant in the rainforest. And that is what Terra Preta has allowed people to do. Rainforest soils are not particularly fertile.

Yeah, that's right. See, a rainforest, even when you choose trees that are going to serve human needs, it's not enough. You do need to be able to plant in the rainforest. And that is what Terra Preta has allowed people to do. Rainforest soils are not particularly fertile.

That's exactly what happened.

That's exactly what happened.

That's exactly what happened.

That's what happened. I mean, before the lost city of Z, we have this very interesting report. I have mentioned it to you before in a previous episode. The expedition of Gaspar de Carvajal and his chronicler, Francisco de Oriana... which was an accidental expedition. They were just going hunting in a longboat, but the Amazon took them and wouldn't let them go back.

That's what happened. I mean, before the lost city of Z, we have this very interesting report. I have mentioned it to you before in a previous episode. The expedition of Gaspar de Carvajal and his chronicler, Francisco de Oriana... which was an accidental expedition. They were just going hunting in a longboat, but the Amazon took them and wouldn't let them go back.

That's what happened. I mean, before the lost city of Z, we have this very interesting report. I have mentioned it to you before in a previous episode. The expedition of Gaspar de Carvajal and his chronicler, Francisco de Oriana... which was an accidental expedition. They were just going hunting in a longboat, but the Amazon took them and wouldn't let them go back.

And they traveled 4,000 miles across South America and ended up on the Pacific side and ended up in the Atlantic Ocean. Wow. And that's in the 1550s, 1560s. And they report seeing enormous, thriving, prosperous cities, highly civilized with advanced arts and crafts. Wow.

And they traveled 4,000 miles across South America and ended up on the Pacific side and ended up in the Atlantic Ocean. Wow. And that's in the 1550s, 1560s. And they report seeing enormous, thriving, prosperous cities, highly civilized with advanced arts and crafts. Wow.

And they traveled 4,000 miles across South America and ended up on the Pacific side and ended up in the Atlantic Ocean. Wow. And that's in the 1550s, 1560s. And they report seeing enormous, thriving, prosperous cities, highly civilized with advanced arts and crafts. Wow.

And they were not believed because 100 years later, when other Spaniards made that voyage and went into the Amazon, they couldn't find the cities. And the reason they couldn't find them is precisely the reason that you give, which is that the jungle had eaten those cities because the human population had been wiped out by disease brought by the Spaniards.

And they were not believed because 100 years later, when other Spaniards made that voyage and went into the Amazon, they couldn't find the cities. And the reason they couldn't find them is precisely the reason that you give, which is that the jungle had eaten those cities because the human population had been wiped out by disease brought by the Spaniards.

And they were not believed because 100 years later, when other Spaniards made that voyage and went into the Amazon, they couldn't find the cities. And the reason they couldn't find them is precisely the reason that you give, which is that the jungle had eaten those cities because the human population had been wiped out by disease brought by the Spaniards.

The Spaniards didn't have to have direct contact with those indigenous peoples in the middle of the Amazon. The diseases just jumped from population to population and just killed everybody.

The Spaniards didn't have to have direct contact with those indigenous peoples in the middle of the Amazon. The diseases just jumped from population to population and just killed everybody.