Nature reported on July 29, 2026, that earthworks spotted in the Amazon hint at a huge ancient civilization.
The report appeared in Nature's news section under the digital object identifier 10.1038/d41586-026-02367-x. Identifiers in Nature's d41586 range are assigned to the journal's journalism rather than to peer-reviewed research, so the material was edited, not refereed.
Nature did not state the estimated age or population size of the ancient civilization, nor did the publication disclose the precise geographical coordinates of the spotted earthworks.
Correction · 5 August 2026
This article originally said the report “appeared in the peer-reviewed journal” and that “Peer review confirms the material underwent independent evaluation prior to publication”. It did not. The source is a Nature news item. Identifiers in Nature’s d41586 range are assigned to the journal’s journalism, comment and Outlook supplements, which are edited rather than peer reviewed. The peer-review claims and the “Peer reviewed” label have been removed.
This article originally said the report “appeared in the peer-reviewed journal” and that “Peer review confirms the material underwent independent evaluation prior to publication”. It did not. The source is a Nature news item. Identifiers in Nature’s d41586 range are assigned to the journal’s journalism, comment and Outlook supplements, which are edited rather than peer reviewed. The peer-review claims and the “Peer reviewed” label have been removed.
