Ancient Aliens

Kenzie and I caught this last week on the History Channel. It looked interesting so I decided to show it in my Science Fiction class at the ALC. So far it's given us the best discussions that we've ever had.

The point of the documentary is to examine how - as ridiculous as it sounds - ancient aliens could have visited the earth in the remote past and aided past civilizations.

This is an old argument. I remember in high school writing a research paper for Mrs. Matzke on UFOs. In my research I came across the book (thanks to the inter-library loan system at the public library) the famous/infamous book The Chariots of the Gods" by Eric Con Danilken. I was intrigued by how he posited that the pyramids, Stone Henge, and the Myans were all influenced by aliens.

In fact, Ancient Aliens feature quite a bit of footage of Daniklen, as well as other 'leading' ancient alien theorists.

While, personally, I think they're bogus, they raise some very interesting claims.

How could the Egyptians build the Great Pyramid at Gezha? If - as modern archilogists state - it took 20 years to build, since it contains some 2.5 million blocks, the Egyptians would have had to cut, carry, and place a stone every ten seconds or so! Impossible, right?





I kept waiting for them to talk about the matrix hidden inside of it (if you've seen Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen, you'll know what I'm talking about) or how it's been rebuilt since Devastator punched the top off it in the film!

How could they carve inside the great tomb at the center of the pyramid? There is no evidence of soot or torches. One ancient alien research states that when he was in there, someone turned out the lights. To solve this problem, he reached for a lighter in his pocket. But he claims that it wouldn't ignite because there wasn't enough oxygen. Yet, he doesn't explain - if there was not enough oxygen to light a lighter - how he was breathing! No mention of oxygen masks! But their theory is that the Egyptians were given technology to create high powered light bulbs (then they might want to ask where all the extension cords are, but the alien theorists don't discuss that).



Of course, they also claim that the Nazca lines in Peru (huge lines that - from the air - resemble runways) are evidence of our contact with aliens. How else could an ancient civilization carve such huge figures (monkeys, spiders, birds)? Why would they even carve them if they couldn't see them but from miles up?







There is the great Mayan ruler Pacal carved on a huge block of stone. Supposedly, he is in a spaceship. Look closely at the image below and see if you see what the ancient alien theorists see.



The ancient alien theorists also present us with the Piri Reis map. This map is painted on animal hide, yet it is incredibly accurate - even showing the landmass under the icecaps. How could an ancient civilization have knowledge of this? Even if it was created when it was first discovered . . . it was still long before the modern topography was available.

This one stumps me.

Even more interesting are the ruins at Puma Punku. Here are vast stone carvings that seem to have been blown apart by an incredible force. Is an earthquake or flood enough to do this? And look at the details in the carvings? The holes drilled in are all at the same exact depth and the lines are perfectly straight.








Next, the video explores the Antikythera Mechanism, which is supposedly an ancient computer found aboard a sunken ship. I recall Mr. Mueller mentioning this when I was in sixth grade. The device was apparently used to gauge astronomical signs and locations. It had complex moving gears and parts that would rival any Swiss watch constructed today.



Here is an x-ray of the box - displaying its complex gears and parts.




Here is what it looks like reconstructed. But who knows what it really looked like?


Finally, they discuss what is known as "The Baghdad Battery."

Apparently, this device could actually hold an electric charge. It appeared to be used for electroplating.

I think rather than trying to discredit past civilizations by giving credit - however partial - to aliens for helping them create such wonders, we should confess that we too often underestimate the power and ability of any one besides ourselves.

Come on, how could anyone be smarter and more talented and more competent that those of us who are alive today?

Of course, that is absurd, but that's what I think when I see all thess people trying to discredit what past people have accomplished because "even today we wouldn't be able to do that!"

Well, judging from the troubles with oil the world is having lately or global warming or dealing with disasters, it doesn't seem that our civilization today can do a lot of anything well!

Rather than try to find excuses why an ancient society couldn't possibly do something (build Stone Henge or the great pyramids or develop advanced math), why don't we give them the credit they deserve and take a large dose of humility for ourselves?

Maybe - given what the past people have been able to do - maybe we should be able to do a whole lot more than we have accomplished!

One great thing to come out of the video though, was this idea - one skeptic stated that the ancients had no GPS or guidance systems. Rather, their GPS was the stars. Just imagine - without city lights or any lights at all - how the stars must have appeared every single night to the people alive at the time.

No wonder they developed such elaborate tributes and monoliths to them.