The nearly 900 giant stone statues discovered by the first Europeans to land on Easter Island seemed at odds with the 1,500 to 3,000 found living there. A new detailed study of the farming potential of the Island suggests it could have sustained 17,500 people at its peak.

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The nearly 900 giant stone statues discovered by the first Europeans to land on Easter Island seemed at odds with the 1,500 to 3,000 found living there. A new detailed study of the farming potential of the Island suggests it could have sustained 17,500 people at its peak.