Science does not really believe in curses! The simple implication is that science simply believes in the theory which has some practical proofs. But, the scientists exploring the rain forest of a city, whose inhabitants fled due to a curse, and themselves got caught with an agonizing disease, have a different story to tell.

Indeed, the story, which looks like the plot of a science fiction flick is verbatim correct.

Which is the city they were exploring?

The group of explorers and archaeologists were trying to find out the whereabouts of the Lost City of the Monkey God.

This city is nestled 20,000 mile deep rainforests of Honduras and Nicaragua.

What is the story of the cursed city?

• The beginning of the story marks the era of the 16^th
• It was back then that the inhabitants of the then called-‘White city’ fled away.
• They believed that the city had been cursed.
• The real fact was they were invaded by European settlers.
• It was these European settlers which have made the horrors of disease and slavery as their best friends to conquer and terrify the locals.

Explorers: Author Douglas Preston (front) formed a team including archaeologist Chris Fisher (rear), to find the city, which was said to have been evacuated after disease and slavery brought by Europeans led residents to believe they were cursed

So, since, hundreds of years the explorers are with the hope of rediscovering the city or finding some of the artifacts the citizen left when they fled.

However, the city seemed hidden in the Mosquitia rainforest. Thus, making it almost impossible for the researchers and the explorers to find it!

Foiled: Previous explorers including William Duncan Strong (his 1933 journal pictured) have been foiled by the dense foliage and proliferation of deadly creatures. This time, however, the team had technology on their side CREDIT Grand Central Publishing

Doug Preston

Who were responsible for finally locating it?

• The Author Douglas Preston and Explorer Steve Elkins led out to explore it.
• For the exploration they were funded by documentary filmmaker Bill Beneson.
• They utilized high technology for the same.
• The latest in technology utilized by them inculcated laser imaging equipment.
• This they installed in an old Cessna Sky master plane.
• The aim was to scan hundreds of miles of jungles in just some day to map the ground below.
• The information which they gathered was then utilized to fabricate 3D computer models.
• The information uncovered rectangular structures, one of which was with a perfect right angle.
• This is when they took assistance from Chris Fisher, of Colorado State, who mentioned the site to be of paramount significance.

Carvings: On his first foray into the jungle to find the city in 2004, Elkins discovered these carvings on a rock, deep in the jungle. They showed a man planting seeds - a sign that a major farming civilization once existed in what is now thick foliage Credit: UTL, LLC/ BENENSON PRODUCTIONS

Excavation: Archaeologist Anna Cohen excavates stone vessels, one of which has a figure of unknown origin. Theories include the possibility that is a corpse bound for burial, a captive waiting sacrifice, or a half-monkey-half-human deity

However, all this was on the map. Hence, it took then 3 years plan to take the risk of life on foot.

So, the entire team headed to find the city. On the way they were also greeted by a venomous snake, which even when killed squirted venom.

The team eventually found the city. They didn’t know it was the place they were looking for. But, then they saw a jaguar head coming out of the ground, carved in stone.

Discovery: The team were on the site of the city for a day before they discovered this carving, believed to be of a snarling jaguar, on the ground. The city's residents had left behind their homes and all their items when they fled

Bingo! This was the place.

The artifact was sacred and hence according to legend should not have been removed. And indeed, when removed meant something bad. In fact, most of the team members were found taken over by Leishmaniasis, a parasite! The disease is way bad; it causes the nose and the lips to fall off.

So, back home, even, when the team members have been cured, the side effects of the drugs persist in them.

Hence, it seems the secret will remain in the folds!