Preserving the sacred waters of Yucatán cenotes: A Carolina-led Initiative

The Yucatán peninsula’s landscape is characterized by thousands of natural sinkholes known as cenotes, formed when the region’s limestone bedrock collapses to reveal underground freshwater pools. These remarkable geological features—estimated to number over 6,000—form an interconnected aquifer system that has sustained life in the region for millennia. To the Maya civilization, cenotes were not merely…