New Research Challenges Easter Island's 'Ecocide' Narrative

Studies using satellite imagery and AI suggest Rapa Nui's population was sustainable and never exceeded 4,000 people.

Satellite data and machine learning reveal fewer rock gardens than previously estimated, indicating limited agricultural capacity.
New findings propose that the island's population remained stable and did not experience a pre-European collapse.
The study contradicts earlier theories that resource overexploitation led to a dramatic population decline.
Researchers argue that the Rapanui people adapted sustainably to their environment with innovative agricultural practices.
Critics caution that the new model may oversimplify the island's complex ecological and historical context.