World of Science 

UNESCO is currently using space technologies to help save an archaeological treasure, the frozen tombs of Siberia. These tombs offer rare insights into the lost Scythian culture. Preserved in permafrost for 2500 years, the tombs lie scattered across the Altai Mountains straddling China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Russia. They contain frozen bodies in such a remarkable state of conservation that even the tattoos on their skin are often intact.

A World of Science, follows the project's progress since the US National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) joined UNESCO and the European Space Agency in their "Open Initiative" to protect natural and cultural sites using space technologies. NASA is providing the University of Ghent in Belgium with the satellite imagery to produce the first comprehensive map of the tombs and terrain.

The scientists are engaged in a race against time. Climate change is thawing the ground which has protected the tombs for so long. The conservationists from the four countries concerned need to know how fast the Altai's glaciers are retreating to devise an effective strategy for saving the tombs. By monitoring climate change in the Altai, the project will also be providing them with these answers.

Read the full article: Saving Lost Civilisations

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