American archaeologist Sarah Parcak awarded TED Prize for her work detecting ancient sites - and looting -, during a press conference on November 9, 2015 at the University of Alabama, Birmingham SATELLITES. "I am honored to receive the TED Prize. But it's not for me, it's for our field (of research) and the thousands of men and women around the world, especially in the Middle East , who defend and protect the sites "Archaeology," said Sarah Parcak. "The past four and a half years have been horrific for archaeology ", she estimated, deploring the looting and destruction of ancient sites that she identified thanks to a technique for processing satellite images. The scientist promised to use her prize to convince the world to detect and protect these sites."At a time when so many ancient sites are threatened (and destroyed) it is very touching to reward with the TED Prize a brilliant mind, committed to the discovery, dissemination and protection of these gems ", underlined the director of the TED Prize, Anna Verghese.
Locating vanished cities through topographical studies
Sarah Parcak "uses 21st century technology to make the history of an ancient, invisible world visible again ", argued Ms. Verghese. Ms. Parcak, currently a professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she founded the Laboratory for Global Observation, was introduced to aerial photography by her grandfather, who used for forestry work. She studied Egyptology at Yale, where she began to explore the potential of these tools for archeology. Here is a presentation of her work during a TEDx talk:
Ms. Parcak was studying at the University of Cambridge, UK, when she created a technique for processing satellite images that allowed her to discover archaeological sites, especially in Egypt. She then turned to the detection of looting. Sarah Parcak has been named the winner of the 2016 TED Prize, endowed with a million dollars, which must be used to fulfill a "wish" and often rewards innovative and influential organizations with "ideas worth spreading ". Ms. Parcak will reveal her "wish" at the annual TED conference, to be held in Vancouver, western Canada, in February. The first TED Prize was awarded in 2005 to singer Bono for his commitment to poverty and disease.