Seventeen lost pyramids are among the buildings identified in a new satellite survey of Egypt.

在对埃及进行的一项新卫星勘测时，发现了17座隐蔽的金字塔。

An infra-red satellite image shows a buried pyramid, located in the centre of the highlight box.
More than 1,000 tombs and 3,000 ancient settlements were also revealed by looking at infra-red images which show up underground buildings.

Initial excavations¹ have already confirmed some of the findings including of two suspected pyramids.

"To excavate² a pyramid is the dream of every archaeologist（考古学家） ," says Dr Sarah Parcak.

She has pioneered the work in space archaeology³ from a Nasa-sponsored laboratory in Birmingham, Alabama and says she was amazed at how much she and her team have found.

"We were very intensely doing this research for over a year. I could see the data as it was emerging, but for me the "A-Ha" moment was when I could step back and look at everything that we'd found and I couldn't believe we could locate so many sites all over Egypt."

The team analysed images from satellites orbiting 700km above the earth, equipped with cameras so powerful they can pin-point objects less than 1m in diameter on the earth's surface.

Infra-red imaging was used to highlight different materials under the surface.