Ancient Technologies: Alien or Human?

Myths and antiquities tell of ancient technologies - flying chariots, flying carpets, nuclear-like weapons, glowing orbs with magical energies and abilities. Ancient storytellers spoke of "powers" evident in everyday life, attributed to "gods," beyond the ken of ordinary people. Even today, mysteries remain. How did the Ancients build the pyramids, Stonehenge, the Nazca Lines? Why? When?

People swayed by the available 'evidence' tend to credit aliens for Earth's purported past technologies. Apparently, it is easier to believe that aliens gave their technology to ancient humans than to accept that we might have done it ourselves - and fallen.

Did we fall from grace? If we had those powers, how did we lose them? Why?

For discussion's sake, let's assume ancient humans did develop sophisticated technologies. How could those technologies disappear without a trace? Where is the concrete evidence?

I suggest the answer is quite simple. Given that ancient humans developed technologies that later just "disappeared," then those technologies ipso facto were created under different environmental conditions than are present in today's world. But what changeable environmental "condition" could affect technology so totally? One of the more obvious is electrical. What might alter the planet's electrical environment so completely that all technological development was neutralized aka "disappeared"? A supernova burst that hit the earth? A pole flip? Could happen. So technological devices stop working when conditions change. The devices are destroyed, the parts re-purposed, the materials re-used. The few that might survive are hidden in some entitled rich guy's private vault, waiting for the pendulum to swing back.

Our Earth's poles do flip. A nearby supernova explosion could alter our planet's electrical environment. Even solar activity has the potential to wipe out our current communications technology. It's possible.

So given that ancient humans developed sophisticated technologies rendered unusable by some dramatic planet-altering external event, then what might that mean to us, here and now?

Is it true that those who do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it?

…Are we overly reliant on our technologies to sustain our civilization? Do human societies really depend on an elite knowledge class? What body of knowledge is most important? What is progress, if critical environmental conditions and material developments are transient?

…We know our planet is unstable in a variety of ways, but seem unwilling to work together to protect ourselves and each other. As a consequence, the predatorial uber-wealthy prevail above the mass of humanity, and are best positioned to survive catastrophe. Is this our real priority? Do we really want the most greedy to perpetuate our species?

…Did we have relationships with aliens in the ancient past? Did they abandon us because our planet is unstable? Or because we don't have our moral-ethical poop together?




Please, go at it ATS. Consider the possibility that humanity has developed sophisticated technologies and civilizations in the ancient past, then lost these developments when conditions changed. What are the right questions?

Thanks, sofi




Some References

Human Hand Fossil Turns Back Clock 500,000 Years on Complex Tool Use
Earth Might Become Unlivable By 2100
What is the purpose and who built these mysterious structures in Siberia?
Scientists baffled by hundreds of spheres found in hidden tunnels

The Most Puzzling Ancient Artifacts
National Geographic. Ancient Legends and Artifacts
ANCIENT ARTIFACTS THAT CHALLENGE MODERN THINKING
10 More Ancient Alien Mysteries
Ancient Astronauts Photo Gallery
UFO's in Ancient Art
Aliens in Classic Paintings
Ancient astronauts
Images for Aliens in Ancient Art
(Debunking) UFO’s in Ancient Art

Interesting thought experiment but thought experiments should be based on feasible assumptions.

Our Earth's poles do flip. A nearby supernova explosion could alter our planet's electrical environment. Even solar activity has the potential to wipe out our current communications technology. It's possible.

Yes. The magnetic poles reverse. And when they do they leave evidence of having done so. "Flip" is a bit misleading though, the process seems to occur on the order of thousands of years. Also, the last reversal occurred about 780,000 years ago. So, how "ancient" are those ancient human civilizations you're talking about?

A supernova near enough have such an effect would leave other evidence.

Solar activity has the potential to have widespread consequences but contrary to the beliefs of some Doomsday Preppers, not the utter collapse and vanishing of all signs of our civilization.



But it's not necessary to speculate about what happened in the past to agree that our civilization is a somewhat fragile thing when compared to the forces of the Universe.

S&F.
A thought provoking post.
I tend to think that Earth has been visited many times--and "tweaked." When I see photos of the pyramids, I can't help but wonder if aliens were involved. Maybe they'd set a course for Earth, with anthropological intentions--or to procure resources; or maybe they crash-landed. If it's the former, they could have taken their technology with them (or dropped it into the Mariana Trench, etc.) If it's the latter, then maybe they repaired their craft and took all technology with them, or destroyed it). Maybe they were marooned, the original Robinson Crusoe and Friday, and were here on Earth long enough to become architects of the pyramids. Maybe they were stuck on Earth for generations. Perhaps (as with the Scify series Battlestar Galactica), they were able to send the technology into the sun via an unmanned craft. Or, the technology could be in the deepest part of the seas or underground, just waiting to be discovered.

reply to post by Phage

A supernova near enough have such an effect would leave other evidence.

Thanks so much for playing. ...Can you describe the other evidence a supernova might leave on our planet?

Also, re: pole flips (reversals). The last one happened 41,000 years ago and lasted about 440 years - but might not "geomagnetic excursions" have similar effects?

...the Brunhes–Matuyama reversal, occurred 780,000 years ago. A brief complete reversal, known as the Laschamp event, occurred only 41,000 years ago during the last glacial period. That reversal lasted only about 440 years with the actual change of polarity lasting around 250 years. During this change the strength of the magnetic field dropped to 5% of its present strength.[1] Brief disruptions that do not result in reversal are called geomagnetic excursions.

Look up a documentary called Flying Pyramids and Soaring Stones.. It was done for History Channel (I was involved) and the premise was that those early folks had some knowledge of the power of wind. We raised a 14 ton obelisk using nothing more than a tandem skydiving rig (think giant traction kite) and some pulleys.

Okay, a bit more complicated but it does explain the potential for early cultures to lift very heavy objects with wind power. There is a bit of conjecture that they has some basic soaring technologies way back then.

There was also some conjecture that the Mayans escaped the conquistadors that had surrounded Machu Picchu, by flying off..... Just conjecture but I wanted to show you something kinda interesting in response to your post.

principlepictures.com... This links to the website, I think you will find it interesting ( :

reply to post by soficrow

Can you describe the other evidence a supernova might leave on our planet?

I didn't say evidence on our planet (though there would likely be some isotopic clues).
Something like this in our stellar neighborhood:
www.mrao.cam.ac.uk...

The last one happened 41,000 years ago and lasted about 440 years - but might not "geomagnetic excursions" have similar effects?

As pointed out, geomagnetic activity is not likely to wipe out and erase all signs of an advanced civilization. We have a lot of evidence of non advanced cultures from that time period (as well as prior and post). I guess you can stick with "the dog ate it" but it seems pretty unlikely.

Awesome post, some real cool links in OPs sig section too. Just my 2 cents on why the ETs would take there tech with them. Look at an occupying force nowadays, go in with the cool stuff, get the country going the way you want, leave the small things that will keep them going and then just periodically check in on them
Pretty lamen terms but im watching football so hard to stay focused

Why do we have to resort to Aliens every time some ancient technology cannot be explained. There are many many tools nothing more than 150 years old that cannot be explained for the simple fact that all users are dead and the tool use was never documented. WE do not resort to aliens to explain victorian technology !!!

reply to post by Mamatus


If It is the same one I saw, I am not convinced. Unless they could create wind. But if they could create wind on such a large scale then I would assume they would have other tech that would make kite tech obsolete.

First off great premise.

soficrow
For discussion's sake, let's assume ancient humans did develop sophisticated technologies. How could those technologies disappear without a trace? Where is the concrete evidence?

Here's a few thoughts on this threads general premise/subject.

Whose to say that their 'Sophisticated' technologies had any similarities to our own? Meaning, did they even bother with developing explosive energy for example? Could they have made a decision right from the start not to go down that route from the beginning? Electrical energy? The Baghdad Batteries, although interesting, wont power a TV, Radio or much of our more desirable devices, yet they appear to be just that, A low powered battery for whatever reason.

We do find things from time to time that at the time changes our perspectives on how advanced they were for the periods in question. The Antikythera mechanism comes to mind. If it weren't for an alert sponge diver we would never have known of it.

As far as 'Aliens' all too often I'll read 'Aliens' did it. Well, hell, I'm just as open minded as anyone else but when I see things like the following, the Alien theory really doesn't make sense. If they were perfectly cutting and moving these giant blocks around how did these two failures happen?

Here is the largest Egyptian obelisk. It's massive, and if we are to believe the Ancient Alien arguments also a massive ET failure too. There it still sits, broken in the quarry.



Also, the ba'albek question. The one fact that everybody on the 'Aliens did it' side seems to miss and it's staring them in the face is that...

It got stuck and was abandoned in place and never moved.




Yet, similarly sized stones were cut and moved in antiquity and prehistory. How exactly did they do it? I've read many arguments, theories and conjecture on the various techniques. I'm still amazed *however it was done* that they were able to do it in the first place and without our 'Sophisticated' technologies.

Then, we can talk about ancient astronomers. Now, that one is another amazing accomplishment. But there again, some have made some very good arguments that the night sky and a camp fire were all that they had for their evening 'Entertainment' so they'd become very familiar with the movements and patterns all unobstructed by our 'Sophisticated' modern City lights.

I think Primitive man wasn't so Primitive, at least not as primitive as many believe.

Very good thoughts Softcrow. I believe that there was once an advanced race of beings on this planet. Their technology may have been more advanced than ours. Where did they go? Who knows. Like you said, all the technology could have been destroyed and made into tools and weapons in the past by our ancient ancestors. These beings could have even been extinct already fifty thousand years ago but their ships and technology could have been around for man to see.

I believe that this is more possible than aliens traveling here from a distant planet. These beings could still interact with us if they found a way to hide from us here on earth, under the sea or ground in cities. If they had fifty thousand years of scientific growth, they could have developed ships we cannot detect and be living in space. These are possibilities, not probabilities, that can be thought of to try to figure out what the ufo sitings are all about. Either these sitings are Military or they are from an advanced race. They could also be figments of people's imagination, but it sure seems that the multiples of people seeing similar craft can't be all looney. Something is still up, it is just a matter of what not if in my mind.

So evidence going back thousands of years and sightings still going on today are discounted by some people without any explanation as to what the people saw. I have not seen any unidentified flying objects, but I know probably a dozen people who have. I believe they saw something...but what. Some are positive that what they saw was advanced military craft far beyond what is known today, and those were sightings from forty or more years ago. So what is up, these people I talked to are as sane as you or I....Maybe I shouldn't say that, I am not exactly considered normal by societies definition. Put it this way, they have worked all their lives, one owning a business that employed dozens of people, and others that worked in various trades. They saw something real...but what is the question.

So until I see something myself I will keep an open mind. Even when I do see something and know what I saw, I will not believe that my witnessed sighting is evidence to discount others sightings. My mind will remain open.

reply to post by soficrow


Please enjoy some discussion on "UFOs" in Art:
UFOs in Works of Art



In quick summary; dems dat you see is aint UFOs.

yup.



What's with this fascination and feeling people have that we were actually MORE advanced technologically the further back in time we go?

It'd be just as an interesting thread to explore the psychological foundations for this fantasy as opposed to attempting to twist and warp well understood historical items to fit the next iteration of atlantean belief.

Phage
reply to post by soficrow

 

Can you describe the other evidence a supernova might leave on our planet?

I didn't say evidence on our planet (though there would likely be some isotopic clues).
Something like this in our stellar neighborhood:
www.mrao.cam.ac.uk...

Thanks for the effort. Others might find this site more ...accessible:

Supernovas & Supernova Remnants

Every 50 years or so, a massive star in our galaxy blows itself apart in a supernova explosion. Supernovas are one of the most violent events in the universe, and the force of the explosion generates a blinding flash of radiation, as well as shock waves analogous to sonic booms.

...geomagnetic activity is not likely to wipe out and erase civilization. We have a lot of evidence of non advanced cultures from that time period (as well as prior and post). I guess you can stick with "the dog ate it" but it seems pretty unlikely.

I'm not stuck on geomagnetic activity, OR thinking that technology represents the essence of human civilization - just looking for "events" that might wipe out technology. But funny thing - I was just reviewing the 2011 Real-time Magnetosphere Simulation from NICT - here is a comparison from Wiki with 4 NICT pics from January, March and April 2011. Just for fun.

Geomagnetic Reversal


NICT Real-time Magnetosphere Simulation: January to April, 2011. [Fukushima 9.0 Earthquake March 11, 2011 another 7.1 on April 11, 2013]

Considering no one to my knowledge has explained how buddy built Coral Castle and that has only been in recent times ...I don't think it possible to explain a past civilization that no longer exist ,let alone the tools they may have used .Science give us their best guesses and sometimes they can explain things but some of the different branches really don't know . Too bad they collect big paychecks and get the better seats ...

Anytime I see a post like this I just imagine some super advance race comes here and uses all their advance technology to only manipulate raw stone....hehe when you look at it like that it sounds really ridiculous, doesn't it?

reply to post by soficrow

But funny thing - I was just reviewing the 2011 Real-time Magnetosphere Simulation from NICT - here is a comparison from Wiki with 4 NICT pics from January, March and April 2011. Just for fun.

I don't see any comparison. But just for fun here's a piece I did about the RTMS a while back.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by drwill


Thank you. But I take it you do not think we humans were capable of advancement on our own, and had to rely on external/alien input? ...Can you just consider the possibilities I set forth in my OP?

reply to post by Mamatus


Thanks for those links. S& : up : ...As slayer says further down from your post, ancient technologies might not look at all like our own. (Or something like that.)

reply to post by Sremmos80


Thanks - but just so you know, I am not saying aliens took their tech with them. My premise is that our advanced human technology stopped working because some essential condition or another changed.

reply to post by yorkshirelad

Why do we have to resort to Aliens every time some ancient technology cannot be explained.

My point exactly. ...Maybe you could read the OP, not just the headline?