Evidence ancient aliens really exisited?

inkaStepa · #1 by **inkaStepa** » Jul 11, 2010 5:39 am

I was watching something about it on the history channel and I'm completely awe-struck that there's so much evidence for it. I was wondering though what the opinions on it are here on the forums and also, how much evidence is needed in order to prove that this (or anything for that matter) is true? Thanks and sorry if I'm waaay behind in the science world. :oops:

Weaver · #2 by **Weaver** » Jul 11, 2010 6:33 am

Unfortunately, many programs on the History Channel completely fail of scientific rigor.

There is no evidence that aliens have ever visited this planet, either in recent times or in ancient. There are many CLAIMS of evidence, but on examination they turn out to be either wishful thinking or fabrications.

Crocodile Gandhi · #3 by **Crocodile Gandhi** » Jul 11, 2010 7:13 am

I once saw a show on the History channel which tried to outline all of the evidence for a global flood. I was expecting it to be less than a minute long and consisting of a single statement "There is no evidence, go learn someting useful". Unfortunately it was an hour long and provided as much rigour as Kent Hovind's tax return.

MrFungus420 · #4 by **MrFungus420** » Jul 11, 2010 7:59 am

inkaStepa wrote:I was watching something about it on the history channel and I'm completely awe-struck that there's so much evidence for it.

Really? You are awe-struck by none?

virphen · #5 by **virphen** » Jul 11, 2010 8:02 am

Come on, I'm not that fucking old!

campermon · #6 by **campermon** » Jul 11, 2010 8:14 am

inkaStepa wrote:I was watching something about it on the history channel and I'm completely awe-struck that there's so much evidence for it. I was wondering though what the opinions on it are here on the forums and also, how much evidence is needed in order to prove that this (or anything for that matter) is true? Thanks and sorry if I'm waaay behind in the science world.

I remember reading all the Erich von Däniken books as a kid and being similarly awe-struck. :doh:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erich_von_D%C3%A4niken

They are very entertaining books if you get a chance to read them.

However, I urge you to read them as 'fiction'.

Perhaps if you can recall the History channel show or the cases they presented then we assist with a little debunking!

:cheers:

inkaStepa · #7 by **inkaStepa** » Jul 12, 2010 1:56 am

It's called "Ancient Aliens." It talks about how the pyramid of Geeza is almost exactly lined up with the North pole, the Nazca lines, some airplane looking artifacts found in tombs, people knowing that other planets were circular, pyramids being erected around the same time by the Maya, Egyptians, and Aztecs, and they basically say that the technology used was too advanced for the time period to have been conjured up by humans.

Alot of it I think is influenced by the author of "Chariots of the Gods" with alot of his ideas expressed throughout the program.

scruffy · #8 by **scruffy** » Jul 12, 2010 2:00 am

the technology used was too advanced for the time period to have been conjured up by humans.

Alien of the Gaps? :scratch:

Hopeful Monster · #9 by **Hopeful Monster** » Jul 12, 2010 2:19 am

jaredennisclark wrote:
the technology used was too advanced for the time period to have been conjured up by humans.

Alien of the Gaps?

Yes, Aliens seem to come second in the irrational thought process.

Example:
"Wow, an incredibly complex tool of worship, surely their deity had a hand in that. But their religion directly contradicts mine. Never mind, it was aliens."

MrFungus420 · **#10** by **MrFungus420** » Jul 12, 2010 4:33 am

inkaStepa wrote:It's called "Ancient Aliens."

Yes, it is.

inkaStepa wrote:It talks about how the pyramid of Geeza is almost exactly lined up with the North pole,

If ancient super-intelligent and extremely technologically advanced aliens were responsible, why doesn't it exactly line up?

Also, is it talking about the actual North Pole or the magnetic north pole?

What about the possibility that the ancient Egyptians lined it up with the star that doesn't move (e.g. the North Star).

inkaStepa wrote:the Nazca lines,

What about them?

inkaStepa wrote:some airplane looking artifacts found in tombs,

Do you mean the one that looks like if they were to turn it so that the "nose" of the "plane" were up, it would look like a representation of a person standing on a mountaintop with a ceremonial cape and mask?

inkaStepa wrote:people knowing that other planets were circular, pyramids being erected around the same time by the Maya, Egyptians, and Aztecs, and they basically say that the technology used was too advanced for the time period to have been conjured up by humans.

Complete bullshit. There are several methods by which they could have been made with then current technology.

inkaStepa wrote:Alot of it I think is influenced by the author of "Chariots of the Gods" with alot of his ideas expressed throughout the program.

It was. It's von Daniken's bullshit all over again.

tnjrp · **#11** by **tnjrp** » Jul 12, 2010 7:12 am

Here's a couple of sites that give a bit more skeptical insights into the subject (for some reason, the first two tend to have the sub-menus somewhat confusingly located in the right side of the screen):
http://www.badarchaeology.net/extraterr ... /index.php
http://www.kmatthews.org.uk/cult_archae ... ction.html
http://www.skepdic.com/vondanik.html

iamthereforeithink · **#12** by **iamthereforeithink** » Jul 13, 2010 11:26 pm

campermon wrote:
inkaStepa wrote:I was watching something about it on the history channel and I'm completely awe-struck that there's so much evidence for it. I was wondering though what the opinions on it are here on the forums and also, how much evidence is needed in order to prove that this (or anything for that matter) is true? Thanks and sorry if I'm waaay behind in the science world.

I remember reading all the Erich von Däniken books as a kid and being similarly awe-struck. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erich_von_D%C3%A4niken

They are very entertaining books if you get a chance to read them.

However, I urge you to read them as 'fiction'.

Perhaps if you can recall the History channel show or the cases they presented then we assist with a little debunking!

I read von Däniken as a kid too, and was completely convinced. But then, I read some more, and realized that it was crap.

OHSU · **#13** by **OHSU** » Jul 13, 2010 11:27 pm

i read some of that crap and didn't buy any of it, ever.

HughMcB · **#14** by **HughMcB** » Jul 13, 2010 11:37 pm

inkaStepa wrote:I was watching something about it on the history channel and I'm completely awe-struck that there's so much evidence for it. I was wondering though what the opinions on it are here on the forums and also, how much evidence is needed in order to prove that this (or anything for that matter) is true? Thanks and sorry if I'm waaay behind in the science world.

You had me at History Channel. Thats usually when I switch off.

We had a number of threads over at rdf about this. I only managed to keep a couple. Here's some that might interest you.

Aliens and (alleged) Archeology
http://forum.richarddawkins.net/viewtop ... 3&t=104696

Aliens and the evidence
http://forum.richarddawkins.net/viewtop ... 63&t=85063

If you wish to go into detail here please do and I will spend some time responding to your post. However, if it's just a brief "there's lots of proof" then I'll have a brief response "no there is not". :grin:

Mr P · **#15** by **Mr P** » Jul 14, 2010 12:23 am

I've found WRT the pyramids of Egypt the real archeology, based on available evidence and years of study, to be far more facinating than the Von Danikens of this world. Sadly the history channel has descended into unmitigated woo over the last few years with regular updates on what Nostradamus predicted and flud "evidence" becoming the accepted norm over there

Tangerine Dream · **#16** by **Tangerine Dream** » Jul 14, 2010 1:36 am

In order to increase television viewership ( TV Audience ) They show whatever crap you can imagine of,Ghosts, Aliens, Biblical stories etc... can be very entertaining of course but .... :scratch:

LIFE · **#17** by **LIFE** » Jul 14, 2010 2:18 am

Pyramids of Giza
Similar to many other megalithic sites around the world, the Pyramids of Giza have been repeatedly attributed to extraterrestrials throughout the years, mostly because of the sheer magnitude of their construction. According to believers, the technology needed to build the massive monuments was not available to the Egyptians during the time they were built. The cuts and placement of the stones are said to be so precise that we cannot recreate them even in modern times. The placement of the pyramids themselves and the measurements contained within are also said to support the Ancient Astronaut Theory, such as the height of the Great Pyramid being an accurate, scaled-down measurement of the distance between Earth and the Sun, or the three Giza Pyramids correlating with the constellation Orion. Modern measuring techniques have proven hopeful ideas like those to be false, yet the rumors persist. The Pyramids of Giza do display a remarkable knowledge of engineering and measuring for their time period, but one would think that if creatures capable of interstellar travel were actually responsible for them, they would have done a better job.

Ancient Cave Paintings
Discoveries of ancient artwork depicting mysterious figures have helped give rise to the “Ancient Astronaut Theory”, which claims that alien beings visited prehistoric humans, possibly interacting and sharing knowledge with them. Advocates of this theory usually point to specific examples, such as a particular rock carving in the Val Camonica site in Italy, as well as the Wandjina Petroglyph (above) sites in Australia. Using these examples as evidence reaches unsturdy ground when held up to scientific scrutiny. The popular image of two “alien” figures in Val Camonica was picked out of over 200,000 drawings – a pretty clear sign of confirmation bias. Testing at the Wandjina site showed some drawings had been repainted numerous times over, with the images evolving over time at the artists’ discretion, rendering the original artwork unknown.

http://listverse.com/2010/07/06/10-huma ... to-aliens/

Just a pointer, you'll find your way from there

hackenslash · **#18** by **hackenslash** » Jul 14, 2010 2:32 am

inkaStepa wrote: It talks about how the pyramid of Geeza is almost exactly lined up with the North pole,

No, it is exactly lined up, as is every other point on the planet. Interestingly, though, all it takes to line up something with the North pole is to, errm, align it with the sunrise. This is trivial, and ancient humans were very familiar with the sky, as it happens. Much more familiar than most people are today, in fact.

the Nazca lines,

Ah, giant earthworks. Because people can't do that, can they?

people knowing that other planets were circular,

pyramids being erected around the same time by the Maya, Egyptians, and Aztecs, and they basically say that the technology used was too advanced for the time period to have been conjured up by humans.

What technology? You mean that humans 5,000 years ago couldn't conjure up stacking blocks on top of each other? :what:

Alot of it I think is influenced by the author of "Chariots of the Gods" with alot of his ideas expressed throughout the program.

There's your problem. Von Daniken is a credulous fuckwit. Not bad for fantasy, but that's what it is.

tnjrp · **#19** by **tnjrp** » Jul 14, 2010 5:37 am

Old Mr. Von D may be more @ con artist than @ personally credulous tho.

jerome · **#20** by **jerome** » Aug 25, 2010 11:45 am

Crocodile Gandhi wrote:I once saw a show on the History channel which tried to outline all of the evidence for a global flood. I was expecting it to be less than a minute long and consisting of a single statement "There is no evidence, go learn someting useful". Unfortunately it was an hour long and provided as much rigour as Kent Hovind's tax return.

That is brilliant!

j x