DISASTER ON EASTER ISLAND.

The article focuses on the historical decline and mysteries surrounding the original Rapa Nui people of Easter Island. It explains that the population, which once numbered several thousand after arriving from Polynesia around 450 CE, had dwindled to 111 by 1877, coinciding with deforestation and the cessation of moai statue carving. While earlier theories blamed human-driven deforestation for ecological collapse, recent research highlights the role of Polynesian rats in damaging palm tree reproduction, contributing to environmental decline. European contact further exacerbated the situation through disease and slavery. Despite these challenges, the descendants of the Rapa Nui continue to live on the island and are actively reviving their cultural heritage.