Part one of two. Archaeologists search for evidence of the Maya civilisation and what became of it, making use of revolutionary new technology harnessing particles from space to analyse a 1200-year-old temple, while another team digs into a lakebed to search for clues to why the Maya abandoned their magnificent cities. The first episode examines one of the most magnificent royal burials ever found in Palenque, Mexico.

Evidence of human sacrifice is uncovered in Honduras, and an expedition to Guatemala must brave an erupting volcano to discover why the Maya abandoned their cities. The imagine team reveal the results of their pioneering scanning attempt, which may have uncovered evidence of a royal tomb.