Sarah Parcak giving TED talk — Dr. Sarah Parcak on the TEDTalk stage. (via TED.com)

Want to re-discover the ancient world? Now’s your chance! Birmingham based GlobalXplorers, the online citizen archeology project, announced this week they’ll be heading to India for their next mapping quest. Join their mission to prevent looting at ancient sites by becoming a virtual citizen explorer. Can you (virtually) dig it?

GlobalXplorer° Goes to India

The project, which was founded in 2017 by Birmingham’s own Dr. Sarah Parcak, allows everyday citizens to discover artifacts at archeology sites by mapping them on the internet through satellite technology. Because of their efforts, many discover sites that were previously unknown to modern archaeologists.

Last year, they completed their first mapping endeavor in Peru. It might seem as if things things have quieted down for GlobalXplorers, but they’ve only just begun their quest to map the world. Next stop, India!

“We can’t think of a richer or more vibrant country for our citizen scientists to start mapping next! It’s an exciting time to be a GlobalXplorer°,” said Dr. Parcak.

Birmingham, Alabama, Dr. Sarah Parcak, Bham Now BOLD Speaker Series, Cahaba Brewery, GlobalXplorer — Dr. Sarah Parcak (center) in Egypt. Photo submitted

GlobalXplorer° partners in India

Space Archaeologist Dr. Sarah Parcak, Egyptologist, National Geographic Explorer, and 2016 TED Prize winner started the program after she was awarded a $1 million grant for her innovation within the archeology field. Since then, the program has gained a strong following of citizen scientists that have uncovered many archeology sites in Peru.

In India, they’ll be partnering with the Tata Trustsone of India’s oldest philanthropic organizations— as well as founding GlobalXplorer° partner, the National Geographic Society.

Currently, the GlobalXplorer° team is preparing to launch in India by Fall of 2019.

Sarah Parcak lecturing on National Geographic — Dr. Parcak., National Geographic fellow. (Photo via National Geographic)

Here’s what the team at GlobalXplorer° had to say about the endeavor in India:

“India is vast in both space and time. Populated by more than 1 billion people, the country covers 3.287 million square kilometers and encompasses 29 states — each with its own rich heritage and languages.

Meanwhile, its 5,000-year span of history takes in an incredible array of cultures, including its Buddhist, Hindu and Jain traditions, the Indus Valley Civilization, the Gupta Empire and so many others. All this makes it an exciting place for citizen scientist GlobalXplorers° to set up virtual camp and start exploring.”