What if the secrets of an ancient civilization were hiding right beneath our feet—or, in this case, under miles of desert sand?
Thanks to artificial intelligence, researchers at Khalifa University have uncovered evidence of a long-lost society buried beneath Saudi Arabia’s Rub al-Khali.
This vast desert is also known as the “Empty Quarter.
This vast, seemingly endless sea of sand—more than 250,000 square miles of it—has kept its secrets hidden for millennia.
But a cutting-edge machine-learning algorithm is changing that.
By combining satellite imagery with AI, researchers have developed a groundbreaking technique that detects and maps buried archaeological sites without ever stepping foot on the dunes.
Dr. Diana Francis, who led the research, put it simply: “Much of the UAE is desert, and inspecting it from the ground is nearly impossible.
That’s why satellite data was key. Then, we needed technology that can see beneath the sand.”
What Did They Find?
The archaeological site of Saruq Al-Hadid, already known for its historical significance, is now revealing evidence of human activity dating back 5,000 years.
With excavations now planned, experts believe this discovery is just the beginning.
If AI can rewrite history in the middle of the desert, who knows what other lost civilizations are waiting
