National Geographic on Assignment: Maya Calendar

The video explores the Maya civilization's understanding of time, focusing on the discovery of a workroom in Guatemala's rainforest. This room contained paintings and calculations that challenge the belief that the Maya predicted the world would end in 2012. Instead, the Maya viewed time as cyclical, similar to an odometer, marking the end of one cycle and the beginning of another. Advanced photographic techniques revealed numbers and dates spanning thousands of years, emphasizing the Maya's sophisticated timekeeping.

Who is the host of the National Geographic segment?

• David Attenborough

• Lucy McNeil

• Neil deGrasse Tyson

• Bill Saturno

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Where did Bill Saturno and his team conduct their research?

• Himalayan Mountains

• Sahara Desert

• Amazon Rainforest

• Guatemala's northern rainforest

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What was discovered in the small room in Xultun?

• Ancient weapons

• Maya jewelry

• Pottery and ceramics

• Paintings and calculations

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What did the calculations on the walls refer to?

• Trade routes

• Maya mythology

• Weather patterns

• Dates spanning 7,000 years

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What misconception about the Maya calendar does the discovery contradict?

• The Maya calendar was based on lunar cycles

• The Maya calendar predicted the end of the world in 2012

• The Maya believed in multiple gods

• The Maya calendar was used for agricultural purposes

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How did the Maya view the end of a calendar cycle?

• As a new beginning

• As a period of mourning

• As a time of destruction

• As a time to stop counting

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What analogy is used to describe the Maya calendar system?

• A river flowing

• A book with chapters

• A clock ticking

• An odometer in a car

What is the significance of reaching a new cycle in the Maya calendar?

• It predicts a natural disaster

• It signifies a new era

• It marks the end of time

• It indicates a solar eclipse