An astounding 303 previously undiscovered Nazca drawings have been found by researchers who used artificial intelligence to detect the ancient Peruvian pieces in satellite imagery. The remarkable project, the results of which were detailed in a paper published on Monday, nearly doubles the number of known designs, which had previously stood at 430. The researchers were reportedly able to document the newfound drawings by way of advanced AI technology capable of spotting and clarifying the faint shapes that were invisible to human eyes in satellite images. Some of the 'fresh' drawings are particularly wondrous, depicting an array of cartoonish humanoid figures as well as various animals, including one design that resembles a knife-wielding killer whale.

By significantly increasing the number of known Nazca geoglyphs, the researchers indicated that they have been able to drawn noticeable distinctions between the more sizeable line-type formations as compared to the small and more plentiful relief-type pieces. To that end, they found that the latter drawings were predominantly humanoid figures and the former were largely comprised of designs featuring wild animals. Additionally, they suggested that the larger line-type pieces could have been ceremonial due to their scarcity and distribution, while the relief-type formations appear alongside trails in a manner akin to a doodle meant to entertain others using the pathways.