In the early morning of July 1, 1520, Hernán Cortés and his troops attempted to flee Tenochtitlán under a rain of stones and arrows. Laden with looted gold and jewels, many soldiers sank into the canals. That cargo, known as the Treasure of the Night of Sorrows, remains lost beneath the mud of present-day Mexico City, fueling legends and expeditions of modern treasure hunters.
Applied technology: the treasure hunt with drones and sonar 🤖
Current expeditions use cutting-edge technology to locate the treasure. Teams with side-scan sonar and underwater drones explore the canals and the bed of Lake Texcoco. Electromagnetic sensors detect precious metals beneath layers of sediment. However, urban growth and the drainage of the lake complicate the task. Historical maps are cross-referenced with GPS systems to delineate Cortés's escape routes, but the gold remains a digital ghost on the screens.
The first failed financial rescue in history 💰
Imagine being a conquistador and losing the equivalent of several million euros in a single puddle. Cortés not only lost the treasure, but also had to explain to the crown that his investment plan in bullion had gone down the drain. Literally. Today, any startup that loses its capital in a pond would be trending topic for incompetence. At least they had the excuse that the Aztecs were chasing them. We only have excuses for not exercising.