The Maya civilization is one of the most brilliant ancient civilizations in the world. It flourished in Central America for thousands of years and amazed later generations with its great wisdom.The Maya made extraordinary progress in science. They mastered professional knowledge of astronomy. By observing celestial bodies, they created precise calendars to guide farming and daily activities. In addition, the Maya were one of the earliest peoples to use the concept of zero, which greatly improved their mathematical calculation.The Maya also achieved great success in architecture and culture. Without modern equipment, they built magnificent pyramids and temples. These well-structured buildings have survived hundreds of years. Apart from architecture, they invented special hieroglyphs to record local history and legends.Religion deeply influenced Maya people’s lives. They believed in gods of the sun, rain and crops. As agriculture was their main livelihood, corn became their most important crop and supported the development of their society.Surprisingly, this prosperous civilization began to decline in the 9th century. Many Maya cities were abandoned gradually. So far, no one has found the exact cause of its disappearance. Most researchers believe that climate change, wars and resource shortages led to its fall.Today, the mysterious Maya civilization still attracts people worldwide. Its unique culture and advanced ideas fully show the creativity of ancient humans.