AI finds mysterious ‘alien’ shapes hidden in Peruvian desert
The new study, authored by Yamagata University Institute of Nasca and IBM Japan, details the deep learning AI model used for a survey of these figurative geoglyphs
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.AI has discovered four mysterious huge shapes hidden in the Peruvian landscape - including one alien-like figure.
A study centred on the Nazca Desert in southern Peru, where so-called Nazca Lines - some up to 370m long - have previously been discovered.
The geoglyphs were created between 500 BCE and 500 CE by people making depressions or shallow incisions in the desert floor, removing pebbles and leaving different-coloured dirt exposed.
The new study, authored by Yamagata University Institute of Nasca and IBMJapan, details the deep learning AI model used for a survey of these figurative geoglyphs.
It led to the discovery of four geoglyphs, a strange-looking humanoid, a pair of legs, a fish, and a bird, of which the humanoid was released in 2019.
Previously, aerial photographs covering a vast area would have to be scanned by the naked eye, which “requires a substantial amount of time, posing a challenge in efficiency and scalability.”
The paper shows that deep learning technology enables accelerated identification of geoglyph candidates approximately 21 times faster than humans can achieve.
Yamagata University explain: “Due to the requirement of detecting unconfirmed geoglyph candidates, careful consideration and ingenuity were needed in order to train a deep learning object detection model using training data of very limited quality and quantity.”
Following the success of this feasibility study, the researchers say they are are collaborating with IBM T. J. Watson Research Center to conduct a large scale AI-based distribution survey of geoglyphs across the entire Nasca Pampa.
“In addition, we plan to work with the Ministry of Culture of Peru to implement activities aimed at protecting the geoglyphs discovered using AI,” they add.
Anthropologists, ethnologists, and archaeologists have tried to solve the mystery of the lines by studying the ancient Nazca culture. One hypothesis is that the Nazca people created them to be seen by deities in the sky.
Some of the Nazca lines form shapes that are best observed from the air, at around 500m, although they are also visible from the surrounding foothills and other high places.
One theory, by author Erich von Dänike, is that the lines were built on instructions from extraterrestrial beings as airfields for their spaceships.
The joint study has been published in the international academic journal “Journal of Archaeological Science”.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments