Ancient Skies - Vol 09 No 2 - 1982-83

Magazine Overview

Title: Official Logbook of the Ancient Astronaut Society
Issue: Volume 9, Number 2
Date: May-June, 1982
Publisher: Ancient Astronaut Society
Country: USA
Price: $2.00

This issue of Ancient Skies delves into the controversial proposition that extraterrestrials might be manlike, challenging conventional scientific and popular beliefs about the origin and nature of life. The magazine presents arguments from prominent figures in the ancient astronaut theory, alongside analyses of ancient sites and phenomena, all interpreted as evidence of extraterrestrial influence on Earth.

Why Extraterrestrials Are Manlike by Erich von Daniken

Erich von Daniken addresses the common argument against the ancient astronaut theory: that extraterrestrials cannot be manlike. He outlines the prevailing scientific view, which posits that life on Earth arose from a unique coincidence of atomic and molecular interactions, leading to DNA and cellular evolution. This perspective, championed by scientists like Hoimar von Ditfurth, Stanislaus Lem, and Carl Sagan, suggests that extraterrestrial life must be fundamentally different due to unique terrestrial conditions.

Von Daniken counters this by citing scientists like Nobel Prize winner Manfred Eigen and astronomer Sir Bernard Lovell, who express skepticism about life arising by chance. Eigen highlights the minuscule probability of protein structures forming by accident, calling it a 'miracle.' Sir Bernard Lovell states that the probability of even a small protein molecule forming is 'virtually zero.' Von Daniken emphasizes that scientific laws like the law of mass action and the entropy principle do not allow for the spontaneous generation of complex life from simple substances.

He points to scientific discussions, such as a symposium at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in June 1980 ('Did Adam Come From Outer Space?') and a convention at the University of Maryland in November 1980, where many scientists concluded that life was not produced on Earth. This leads to the question of where life originated and how it reached Earth.

Von Daniken, referencing astrophysicist Sir Fred Hoyle, proposes that life and intelligence were not originally produced on Earth but were disseminated throughout the universe in 'life-bombs' or 'life seeds' containing biological elements. These seeds, when reaching a suitable planet, would initiate a predetermined evolutionary program, resulting in life forms similar to the original intelligence. He uses the analogy of transplanting tree seeds, which will grow into the same type of tree regardless of the soil, as long as the conditions are suitable.

Regarding human intelligence, von Daniken suggests that extraterrestrials landed on Earth in ancient times, manipulated the genetic complex of hominids, and introduced intelligence into the developing species. Thus, humans think in a similar way to their creators, not the other way around. He believes this perspective resolves mysteries surrounding the origin of life and religious traditions about God creating man in His image.

Stonehenge - Another View by William Collins

William Collins presents Stonehenge as a spectacular piece of evidence for extraterrestrial visitation. His analysis focuses on the 56 Aubrey holes and the heelstone. While Professor Gerald Hawkins theorized the Aubrey holes served as a computer for predicting eclipses, Collins' research suggests a connection to the Sun's circumference. He claims that if the Sun's circumference (2,717,287 miles) is divided into 56 million equal parts, each part is 256 feet long, which is the distance from the center of the sarsen circle to the heelstone. Collins concludes that Stonehenge, built during the late Stone/early Bronze Ages, was designed by visitors from outer space.

Collins refutes the idea that ancient Britons possessed the technology to determine the Sun's dimensions, noting their limited technological capabilities during the Neolithic period when the Aubrey holes and heelstone were created. He asserts that the layout of Stonehenge I (circa 1900 BC) points to knowledge possessed by extraterrestrial visitors rather than indigenous technological advancement.

More on Titicaca by Ing. Erich Reindl

Ing. Erich Reindl discusses the theory that the waters of a Biblical flood reached Lake Titicaca, located 12,500 feet above sea level in Peru and Bolivia. He references Otto Muck's book 'Alles Uber Atlantis,' which posits that a planetoid impact caused a global deluge of 12,500 feet, leading to the sinking of Atlantis about 10,000 years ago (8490 BC according to the Maya Calendar). This event, Reindl suggests, brought sea water and marine life to Lake Titicaca.

Reindl explains that before the flood, Titicaca was a large depression with a small lake. The catastrophe inundated the area, bringing marine life. People who survived took refuge on mountain peaks. As the waters receded over thousands of years, the lake's level decreased due to evaporation exceeding rainfall. This explains the presence of maritime life at high altitudes, submerged ruins of Tiahuanaco, stone houses underwater near Puerto Acosta, and the shrinking lake level. He estimates it will take another 10,000 years for the lake to return to its former level through slow evaporation.

Lake Miramar

The article describes Lake Miramar in Chiapas, Mexico, where a civilization of a hundred thousand Lacandon Indians once flourished, leaving behind stone dwellings and two mutilated stone 'idols.' A significant feature is a human figure carved in deep relief on a boulder at the edge of the lake, about 40-50 feet above the current water level. The carving's style is Olmec-inspired, and its high position suggests the water level was much higher in the past or the boulder was moved by an upheaval.

Aside from rock walls, idols, and the carving, little remains of the civilization. The Lacandons were annihilated by the Spanish conquistadors in the late 16th century. The Spaniards transported a warship, dismantled it, reassembled it at Lake Miramar, and used it to conquer the indigenous population. After the Spaniards left, the Lacandons never returned.

New Books

The magazine lists several new books, including "The Stones of Kiribati" by Erich von Daniken, "Astronautengotter" by Walter Langbein, "Feuer Fiel Vom Himmel" by Peter Krassa, and "Die Stuffen Zum Kosmos" by Zecharia Sitchin.

Society Information and Events

Ancient Skies is published bi-monthly by the Ancient Astronaut Society, headquartered in Highland Park, Illinois. The society is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit corporation for scientific, literary, and educational purposes.

Announcements are made for two major events:

1. Member Expedition - November 1982: A trip to Vienna, Petra, Jerusalem, Cairo, Kenya, and Malta, including the Eighth World Conference of the Ancient Astronaut Society in Vienna.
2. Eighth World Conference, Vienna, Austria, Nov. 1982: Scheduled for November 12-13, 1982, speakers include Erich von Daniken, Zecharia Sitchin, George Sassoon, Harry Ruppe, and Gene Phillips.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the ancient astronaut theory, proposing that extraterrestrial beings have visited Earth and influenced human civilization and the origin of life. The editorial stance, as presented by the articles, strongly supports the idea that ancient myths and structures hold clues to this extraterrestrial involvement. The magazine promotes a view that challenges conventional scientific explanations for life's origin and human evolution, advocating for an interpretation of history and archaeology through the lens of alien intervention. The articles consistently seek to find evidence of advanced technology and knowledge in ancient sites and texts, attributing them to non-human intelligence.