The Maya civilization was an ancient civilization that flourished in Central America. They had a sophisticated writing system, and developed advanced calendars, mathematics, and astronomy. However, this great civilization went through countless severe declines, which remain a mystery of human history. My focus is on recurrent extreme weather as a potential cause of these declines. By carefully analyzing special geological formations called varves, my aim is to obtain the world’s first records of the extreme weather actually experienced by ancient Maya people.

The reason I continue this research is that this is the wellspring of a feeling of excitement, curiosity, and fun when I was a child. The moment I finally discovered varves in a lake among Maya ruins, after three years, I knew that I wanted to spend my life on this research. These beautiful varves are packed with history, and have a magical power to them.

Our ultimate goal is to uncover the mystery of the decline of the Maya civilisation. To this end, we are building two main pillars of research. The first is to devise a precise geological clock specialized for the Maya region. The second is to identify all extreme weather conditions experienced by the ancient Mayans, such as droughts and heavy rains. By then comparing these results with Mayan history as shown in their precise calendars, we will seek causal relationships between climate change and extreme weather conditions with civilizational decline.

We will excavate at Lake San Claudio in Mexico, and obtain varve samples. A varve is a thin layer of sediment that builds up over the period of one year, and these layers create striped patterns that etch a record of time and rainfall. We will start by counting all the varves present and radiocarbon dating the plant matter found in the varves to create a precise chronology. By carefully examining the elements contained in the varves in precisely dated eras, we will identify in detail the specific years that experienced drought or heavy rainfall.

This research contains clues for us, as we are living in a highly-developed civilized society in an age of global warming. When does the weather become erratic (when is there more extreme weather), and under what conditions is the weather gentle? What kind of damage does erratic weather cause to advanced civilizations? Discovering this history will lead us closer to the true nature of the crisis we are currently facing.

Partnerships:
Fieldwork in remote locations is replete with unanticipated events. I would like to chase big dreams alongside forward-thinking colleagues who can enjoy themselves even when times are tough. No matter the time and effort required, I want to do work that will go down in history, with partners who share this desire to continue seeking the best data without ever giving in.

Research collaborations:
In coordinating with domestic and foreign research institutions, I think it is important to build a positive, warm, and cheerful team. Repeated failures in finding varves, serious obstacles during fieldwork, and lonely, repetitive, dull, exacting tasks can all be turned into something fun if we just have a sense of humor. I believe that any kind of hardship or barrier can be overcome if the team members can have a hearty laugh.