Interview: UAB Space Archaeologist and TED Prize Winner Sarah Parcak

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2015/11/IMG_6139.JPG.png
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1920;s:6:"height";i:1247;s:4:"file";s:24:"2015/11/IMG_6139.JPG.png";s:5:"sizes";a:13:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"IMG_6139.JPG-336x218.png";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:218;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"IMG_6139.JPG-771x501.png";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:501;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"IMG_6139.JPG-140x140.png";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"IMG_6139.JPG-768x499.png";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:499;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:25:"IMG_6139.JPG-1536x998.png";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:998;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"IMG_6139.JPG-80x80.png";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"IMG_6139.JPG-600x338.png";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"IMG_6139.JPG-600x600.png";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"IMG_6139.JPG-479x311.png";s:5:"width";i:479;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"IMG_6139.JPG-408x265.png";s:5:"width";i:408;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"IMG_6139.JPG-600x400.png";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"IMG_6139.JPG-600x600.png";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"IMG_6139.JPG-125x125.png";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Dan Carsen
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] =>  WBHM
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:7789309;s:14:"optimized_size";i:1781174;s:7:"percent";d:77.129999999999995;}s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:52:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/11/IMG_6139.JPG.png";s:13:"original_size";i:6108183;s:14:"optimized_size";i:1224280;s:7:"percent";d:79.959999999999994;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:60:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/11/IMG_6139.JPG-140x140.png";s:13:"original_size";i:36029;s:14:"optimized_size";i:12886;s:7:"percent";d:64.230000000000004;}s:6:"medium";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:60:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/11/IMG_6139.JPG-336x218.png";s:13:"original_size";i:121822;s:14:"optimized_size";i:41016;s:7:"percent";d:66.329999999999998;}s:5:"large";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:60:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/11/IMG_6139.JPG-771x501.png";s:13:"original_size";i:590490;s:14:"optimized_size";i:196786;s:7:"percent";d:66.670000000000002;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:58:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/11/IMG_6139.JPG-80x80.png";s:13:"original_size";i:12776;s:14:"optimized_size";i:5443;s:7:"percent";d:57.399999999999999;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:60:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/11/IMG_6139.JPG-600x338.png";s:13:"original_size";i:320041;s:14:"optimized_size";i:105358;s:7:"percent";d:67.079999999999998;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:60:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/11/IMG_6139.JPG-300x300.png";s:13:"original_size";i:153936;s:14:"optimized_size";i:48796;s:7:"percent";d:68.299999999999997;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:60:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/11/IMG_6139.JPG-479x311.png";s:13:"original_size";i:240181;s:14:"optimized_size";i:77977;s:7:"percent";d:67.530000000000001;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:60:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/11/IMG_6139.JPG-408x265.png";s:13:"original_size";i:176866;s:14:"optimized_size";i:57835;s:7:"percent";d:67.299999999999997;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:60:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/11/IMG_6139.JPG-125x125.png";s:13:"original_size";i:28985;s:14:"optimized_size";i:10797;s:7:"percent";d:62.75;}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1664830781 
1447097246

To some, the fact that “space archaeology” is actually a thing will come as news. Practitioners use satellite imagery to discover and analyze ancient ruins, and increasingly, to spot looting. University of Alabama at Birmingham archaeologist Sarah Parcak is a leader in the field, and she’s just been named winner of the 2016 million-dollar TED Prize, meant to support her work and a future project of her choosing. That project will involve protecting antiquities around the world and will be revealed in detail in February, but for now, WBHM’s Dan Carsen caught up with Parcak after a whirlwind press conference. She talks terrorists, technology, women and children in science, and colleagues she calls “the real heroes of culture.” But she starts with a boiled-down explanation of her work.

To listen to the on-air four-minute conversation, click above. To read key excerpts, hear the web-exclusive 11-minute interview, or hear today’s UAB press conference, see below.

“Think Google Earth on Speed”

That’s how Parcak sums up her work in one sentence. Elaborating a little: “[We use] satellite imagery, algorithms, and computer software … to pull things out of landscapes that we can’t see with our naked eye … pyramids, tombs, new [to us] settlements and many other features all around the world. But that’s only step one. You then have to go out into the field. It’s called ‘groundtruthing’ — you’re literally checking out if what’s buried in the ground matches what you’re seeing from space.”

Lives at Risk, Colleagues Killed

“The chief archaeologist of Palmyra, Khaled Asaad — he decided to stay on at the site even when ISIL was approaching … and he died protecting the site. So many of my friends and colleagues are risking their lives … I’ve had friends that have almost lost their lives protecting sites from looters, and they’ve undergone gunfire, so this is very very serious. The people who are in the field, doing this every day — I call them the real culture heroes.”

Role Modeling

“I’m a big supporter of kids doing science, especially young girls. And I don’t think there are enough examples of women doing science on TV. It’s hard being a female scientist … we’re always breaking glass ceilings for the next generation. Hopefully it’ll be a little bit easier for them.”

Like in the Movie, but Minus the Bullwhip? 

“If people want to call me Indiana Jones, I say that I’m more sites, less stubble.”

Below is the 11-minute web-only interview. Just a few of the additional subjects include Al Qaeda and southern barbecue:

 

Below is the UAB press conference: 

 

Shutdown has already delayed the jobs report. More critical reports could be held up

The government's monthly jobs report was not published Friday as a result of the federal shutdown. That's left businesses and policymakers in the dark about the strength of the U.S. job market.

Supreme Court to hear challenge to Hawaii’s limits on guns

At issue is the state law that bans guns on private property that is open to the public — places like clubs, bars and restaurants — unless the property's owners have allowed them.

The Trump-Epstein statue is back on the National Mall, days after its abrupt removal

The statue honors Trump's "long-lasting bond" with Epstein, which the president denies. The National Park Service took down the statue after one day last week, saying it didn't comply with its permit.

GOP blames government shutdown on health care for undocumented people. That’s false

The White House and GOP lawmakers say a provision in the Big Beautiful Bill that Democrats want rolled back keeps undocumented people from getting health benefits — a claim experts say is misleading.

Take a look! ‘Reading Rainbow’ is back

Mychal Threets, a social media star librarian, is hosting the new iteration of the series. It's back for four episodes starting on Saturday.

Trump gives Hamas a ‘last chance’ deadline to agree to a peace plan with Israel

President Trump said that if Hamas does not agree to the 20-point plan, as presented by Israel and the U.S., then "all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas."

More Education Coverage