Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story:A new study uses genome analysis to show the decline, not erasure, of the ancient Maya civilization. The ancient Maya were a group of Mesoamerican Indigenous people who developed one of the most advanced societies in history, which such achievements as a complex written language and amazingly accurate calendar systems. One of the thriving capitals of Maya civilization was Copán—a city in modern-day Honduras that acted as a travel hub between Central and South America. A new study analyzing skeletons buried near Copán reveals the collapse, but not total erasure, of the Maya civilization over 1,200 years ago. Researchers saw a subsequent decline in population around 750 A.D., “coinciding with the onset of the collapse of Classic Maya civilization,” according to the paper.