Pyramid Unearthed in Mexico City

Sounds from pre-Columbian ceremonies brought back to life

(NEWSER) - A Mexican engineer has worked for decades to bring the sounds of the Aztecs back to life, reports the AP. Roberto Velazquez has created replicas of the instruments found at many archaeological sites—including the eerie "Whistles of Death" discovered with a skeleton in an ancient temple—and experimented to re-create noises that may have been heard at ceremonies thousands of years ago. More»

(NEWSER) - Mexican archaeologists believe their ground-penetrating radar has detected the first tomb of an Aztec ruler ever found, the AP reports. Workers in Mexico City, hanging from slings and digging delicately in a muddy underground passage, hope to uncover the remains of Emperor Ahuizotl, who ruled the Aztec empire at its height before the Spanish invasion of 1521. More»

Popocatepetl may be ready to blow

(NEWSER) - Officials are so uneasy about the rumblings of the now-glowing Popocatepetl volcano near Mexico City that they've shut down nearby schools, and warned travelers to stay away. Eight low-intensity "exhalations" and a 40-minute tremor from the shuddering volcano have been measured by Mexico's National Center for the Prevention of Disasters, reports CNN . The volcano threat has been raised to level 5 out of a possible 7, meaning there's a high probability of some kind of major activity, according to AP . More»

Epicenter near that of recent strong quake

(AP) - A strong earthquake has been felt in Mexico City. Buildings rocked back and forth for several seconds in the center of the city this afternoon, but the mayor says no severe damage has yet been reported. The US Geological Survey reports a preliminary magnitude of 6.3 and says the epicenter was near the border of Guerrero and Oaxaca states, very close to the epicenter of a strong quake nearly two weeks ago. More»

No initial reports of death or serious injury

(AP) - A 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit central and southern Mexico today, collapsing at least 60 homes near the epicenter and a pedestrian bridge in the capital where people fled shaking office buildings in fear. One of the strongest to shake Mexico since the deadly 1985 temblor that killed thousands in Mexico City, today's earthquake sent fear and panic across the region, especially after a less powerful, magnitude-5.1 aftershock was felt in the capital and several other aftershocks around the borders of Oaxaca and Guerrero near the epicenter. But hours after the shaking at noon local time, there were still no reports of death or serious injury More»