WWK- The history of aliens,
and take a look at different
sightings of aliens.
By: Will Wood
Overview.
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According to ancient alien theorists,
extraterrestrials with superior knowledge
of science and engineering landed on
Earth thousands of years ago, sharing
their expertise with early civilizations and
forever changing the course of human
history. But how did this concept develop,
and is there any evidence to support it?
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Ancient alien theory grew out of the centuriesold idea that life exists on other planets, and that
humans and extraterrestrials have crossed
paths before. The theme of human-alien
interaction was thrust into the spotlight in the
1960s, driven by a wave of UFO sightings and
popular films like 2001: A Space Odyssey. The
space program played no small part in this as
well: If mankind could travel to other planets,
why couldn’t extraterrestrials visit Earth?
Ancient Astronaut Theory
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In 1968, the Swiss author Erich von Däniken
published Chariots of the Gods, which became
an immediate bestseller. In it, he put forth his
hypothesis that, thousands of years ago, space
travelers from other planets visited Earth, where
they taught humans about technology and
influenced ancient religions. He is regarded by
many as the father of ancient alien theory, also
known as the ancient astronaut theory.
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Most ancient alien theorists, including von
Däniken, point to two types of evidence to
support their ideas. The first is ancient religious
texts in which humans witness and interact with
gods or other heavenly beings who descend
from the sky—sometimes in vehicles resembling
spaceships—and possess spectacular powers.
The second is physical specimens such as
artwork depicting alien-like figures and ancient
architectural marvels like Stonehenge and the
pyramids of Egypt.
Alien Activity
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The Nazca Lines
Etched into a high plateau in Peru’s Nazca Desert, a
series of ancient designs stretching more than 50 miles
has baffled archaeologists for decades. Along with
simple lines and geometric shapes, they include
drawings of animals, birds and humans, some
measuring more than 600 feet across. Because of their
colossal size, the figures can only be appreciated from
way up in the air—and there is no evidence that the
Nazca people, who inhabited the area between 300 B.C.
and 800 A.D., invented flying machines. According to
ancient alien theorists, the figures were used to guide
spaceships as they came in for a landing, and the lines
served as runways.
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Vimanas
Many Sanskrit epics, which were written in India
more than two millennia ago, contain references
to mythical flying machines called vimanas.
Pointing to similarities between descriptions of
vimanas and reports by people who claim to
have seen UFOs, ancient alien theorists have
suggested that astronauts from other planets
visited India during ancient times.
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The Moai of Easter Island
The Polynesian island of Easter Island is famous
for its “maoi”: the 887 giant human figures with
enormous heads that guard its coastline.
Roughly 500 years old, these monolithic statues
stand 13 feet high and weigh 14 tons, but some
are twice as tall and much heavier. How could
human beings without sophisticated tools or
knowledge of engineering craft and transport
such incredible structures? Some ancient alien
theorists believe it is the work of visiting
extraterrestrials who left their mark on the island.
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Puma Punku
Located in the Bolivian highlands, Puma Punku
is a field of stone ruins scattered with giant,
finely carved blocks. Such precise workmanship
on a massive scale would have been nearly
impossible without modern tools and machines,
yet the ruins are more than 1,000 years old.
Ancient alien theorists have hypothesized that
extraterrestrials with advanced engineering
techniques created the site or advised the
people who built it
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In the Book of Ezekiel, part of the Hebrew bible,
a prophet has a vision of a flying vessel
accompanied by fire, smoke and a loud noise.
Some ancient alien theorists have argued that
the vehicle’s design closely mirrors that of a
modern spaceship. Rather than a divine
intervention, then, perhaps the text describes an
early encounter between humans and alien
astronauts.
MLA Style
 “Evidence of Ancient Aliens?.” 2012. The
History Channel website. Apr 11 2012,
10:27
http://www.history.com/shows/ancientaliens/articles/evidence-of-ancient-aliens.
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