Did seabird poop fuel rise of Chincha in Peru?
Summary
Ars Technica reports on a PLOS ONE study suggesting seabird guano boosted maize production and helped fuel the Chincha Kingdom's economy. The researchers combine microbotanical sediment analysis, drone imagery, and historical sources to argue that guano fertilizer underpinned agricultural surplus, trade, and political power, while seabird imagery features in Chincha artifacts. The piece places guano as a historically potent resource and discusses its broader implications for understanding pre-Inca economies.