Sacred Sediments: a climate journey in Peru

SYNOPSIS

Climate scientist Bronwen Konecky travels to one of the largest high-altitude lakes in the world to unlock a climate mystery. Working with archaeologist Sarah Baitzel, she is looking for clues at the bottom of Lake Sibinacocha in Peru. Pre-Hispanic Andean cultures used this highlands area through the Inca and early colonial periods to about 500 years ago — despite dramatic fluctuations in local climate and lake levels. This film follows the scientists’ difficult mountain journey as they endure harsh conditions to learn about how a changing climate affects rainfall and life in the Earth’s tropical regions.