David Grann
For centuries, explorers perished seeking mythical cities of gold in the Amazon, but modern archaeology reveals the jungle actually did hide massive, ancient urban civilizations.
Explorer Percy Fawcett disappeared in the Amazon in 1925 while obsessively hunting for an advanced ancient civilization he named Z.
While early scientists dismissed the Amazon as a counterfeit paradise incapable of supporting large populations, modern archaeology has proven them wrong.
Researchers have uncovered vast networks of pre-Columbian plaza towns connected by engineered roads and canals in the Upper Xingu region.