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Does the Ancient Astronaut Theory Explain the Last 100,000 Years of Human Evolution?
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Human evolution is the lengthy process of change by which people originated from apelike ancestors. Scientific evidence shows that the physical and behavioral traits shared by all people originated from apelike ancestors and evolved over a period of approximately six million years.
One of the earliest defining human traits, bipedalism -- the ability to walk on two legs -- evolved over 4 million years ago. Other important human characteristics -- such as a large and complex brain, the ability to make and use tools, and the capacity for language -- developed more recently. Many advanced traits -- including complex symbolic expression, art, and elaborate cultural diversity -- emerged mainly during the past 100,000 years.
Early humans first migrated out of Africa into Asia probably between 2 million and 1.8 million years ago. They entered Europe somewhat later, between 1.5 million and 1 million years. Species of modern humans populated many parts of the world much later. For instance, people first came to Australia probably within the past 60,000 years and to the Americas within the past 30,000 years or so. The beginnings of agriculture and the rise of the first civilizations occurred within the past 12,000 years.
My question is why the elaborate explosion of growth and development in the human species from 60,000 to 30,000 to 12,000 years ago? What happened in our evolutionary line to warrant such development? So many things developed 'suddenly' it appears, like language, the ability to make and use tools, social structures, etc.
One has to wonder where the ancient Maya got their advanced
"Men came from the stars, knowing everything, and they examined
the four corners of the sky and the Earth's round surface."
knowledge in astronomy, mathematics, and other physical sciences. My questions would pre-date Sitchin's ideas of the Anunnaki, being about 2500 B.C. ( I think...please correct me if I'm wrong)
Human Evolution
Anunnaki
a reply to: Cosmic911
I dunno know but here's a brain torque.
If it weren't for the "Dark Ages" we'd probably already be an interstellar space fairing species.
What happened in our evolutionary line to warrant such development? So many things developed 'suddenly' it appears, like language, the ability to make and use tools, social structures, etc
I dunno know but here's a brain torque.
If it weren't for the "Dark Ages" we'd probably already be an interstellar space fairing species.
a reply to: Cosmic911
The Ancient Aliens theory uses the same idea as religion to say that it explains things. We don't know exactly why this is the case, so insert magic/alien intervention. It's beautiful since these supposed aliens' technology level is unknowable to us so we can give it the same mysticism we gave magic in the past in the case of religion. However, this reasoning is just an updated version of the God of the Gaps argument.
Just because we don't know (or rather you don't know, science actually has answers to many of your concerns about how humans developed so quickly over the last 10 to 12k years) doesn't give credence to you being able to make up whatever account of things you want. If aliens tampered with our DNA to make us intelligent, then you have to prove it. Tampering with our DNA should leave scars on our genetic code. So that is a place to start.
Also, aliens tampering with our dna doesn't explain where the aliens came from. Did they evolve naturally or where THEY artificially made to be intelligent as well? If the latter is the case, where did their creators come from? Eventually you will have to accept that intelligence can arise naturally through evolution. It cannot solely be an artificial product of intelligent beings.
The Ancient Aliens theory uses the same idea as religion to say that it explains things. We don't know exactly why this is the case, so insert magic/alien intervention. It's beautiful since these supposed aliens' technology level is unknowable to us so we can give it the same mysticism we gave magic in the past in the case of religion. However, this reasoning is just an updated version of the God of the Gaps argument.
Just because we don't know (or rather you don't know, science actually has answers to many of your concerns about how humans developed so quickly over the last 10 to 12k years) doesn't give credence to you being able to make up whatever account of things you want. If aliens tampered with our DNA to make us intelligent, then you have to prove it. Tampering with our DNA should leave scars on our genetic code. So that is a place to start.
Also, aliens tampering with our dna doesn't explain where the aliens came from. Did they evolve naturally or where THEY artificially made to be intelligent as well? If the latter is the case, where did their creators come from? Eventually you will have to accept that intelligence can arise naturally through evolution. It cannot solely be an artificial product of intelligent beings.
a reply to: SLAYER69
You're right, imagine if war and hunger never existed? We lost a couple billion people like Jesus, Tesla, Trump, Einstein, Salk, Curie, Me, You etc. etc. etc. etc. We could have gone quite farther than we are now, that's for sure.
If it weren't for the "Dark Ages" we'd probably already be an interstellar space fairing species.
You're right, imagine if war and hunger never existed? We lost a couple billion people like Jesus, Tesla, Trump, Einstein, Salk, Curie, Me, You etc. etc. etc. etc. We could have gone quite farther than we are now, that's for sure.
Simple answer. Farming. Agriculture development and farming animals is one if not the most important reason for this boom. No mystery whatsoever.
a reply to: donktheclown
In all fairness if war didn't exist there would be a population crisis and less motivation for technological advances to solve problems that don't exist. The competition is what has driven these advances. The technological advances in ww1 alone has bought about many medical advances and understanding of the world we live in.
In all fairness if war didn't exist there would be a population crisis and less motivation for technological advances to solve problems that don't exist. The competition is what has driven these advances. The technological advances in ww1 alone has bought about many medical advances and understanding of the world we live in.
a reply to: Cosmic911
Ancient astronaut 'theory" does not adequately explain anything, this is because it is based on a fallacious argument from ignorance.
Even here we have people essentially asking "we don't know how humans went from hunter gatherer tribes to civilization therefore aliens". Which is sort of an "aliens of the gaps" argument. This is how most ancient astronaut arguments go, they take something and build it up as unknown and mysterious and then insert aliens into the gap in our knowledge. It's laughable to look at every unsolved ancient mystery and say aliens were involved.
We would need some kind of archaeological evidence that alien visitation occurred in the ancient past and unfortunately there currently isn't any. All of the things that AA proponents prop up as evidence have much more plausible Earthly explanations.
Keep in mind that for a long time in human history records were not kept because written language associated with spoken language largely did not exist. Because the groups human beings lived in were small written language wouldn't have really been needed, at best they might need pictograms such as cave paintings. At some point human beings started living in larger units of people and that is likely when writing and unified language began evolving organically (as in from the bottom up, not delivered from on high).
Ancient astronaut 'theory" does not adequately explain anything, this is because it is based on a fallacious argument from ignorance.
Even here we have people essentially asking "we don't know how humans went from hunter gatherer tribes to civilization therefore aliens". Which is sort of an "aliens of the gaps" argument. This is how most ancient astronaut arguments go, they take something and build it up as unknown and mysterious and then insert aliens into the gap in our knowledge. It's laughable to look at every unsolved ancient mystery and say aliens were involved.
We would need some kind of archaeological evidence that alien visitation occurred in the ancient past and unfortunately there currently isn't any. All of the things that AA proponents prop up as evidence have much more plausible Earthly explanations.
Keep in mind that for a long time in human history records were not kept because written language associated with spoken language largely did not exist. Because the groups human beings lived in were small written language wouldn't have really been needed, at best they might need pictograms such as cave paintings. At some point human beings started living in larger units of people and that is likely when writing and unified language began evolving organically (as in from the bottom up, not delivered from on high).
a reply to: SLAYER69
Agreed...
I tell people the same thing, but here comes the real brain torque...
If it weren't for the "black world/tech" we'd probably already be an interstellar space fairing species.
If it weren't for the "Dark Ages" we'd probably already be an interstellar space fairing species.
Agreed...
I tell people the same thing, but here comes the real brain torque...
If it weren't for the "black world/tech" we'd probably already be an interstellar space fairing species.
a reply to: SLAYER69
I realize the 'Dark Ages' constitutes a large portion, say from the Fall of Rome to the 13th, or so, centuries, but what exactly did or did Not happen during this time to set us 'back?' The Black Death occurred later, mid 14th century? I admit my ignorance to the time period.
I realize the 'Dark Ages' constitutes a large portion, say from the Fall of Rome to the 13th, or so, centuries, but what exactly did or did Not happen during this time to set us 'back?' The Black Death occurred later, mid 14th century? I admit my ignorance to the time period.
originally posted by: Cosmic911
My question is why the elaborate explosion of growth and development in the human species from 60,000 to 30,000 to 12,000 years ago? What happened in our evolutionary line to warrant such development? So many things developed 'suddenly' it appears, like language, the ability to make and use tools, social structures, etc.
Er, evolution happened. You don't need a spaceman to intervene to apparently hasten evolution, you just need circumstance and opportunity.
Evolution favours the most adaptable and our ancestors had to adapt to a difficult world, where the survival strategy was intelligence.
Technological advances tend to increase rapidly so I don't find it unreasonable that we went from hunter gatherer to iphone in such a relatively short
period. All it takes is one discovery that has civilization changing implications.
With that said, I don't necessarily find the AA theories far fetched either. While ancient man was certainly ingenious, I've never bought into pyramids, etc were built with basic elbow grease. Just look at the advanced machinery we have today and how long it takes to still build massive structures.
I saw a video of a crane trying to move a massive block of stone. It makes it hard to believe that the pyramids were built with a bunch of malnutritioned slaves. The amount of bodies and engineering prowess is just mind boggling. Ancient civilizations had to be more advanced than we give them credit for.
With that said, I don't necessarily find the AA theories far fetched either. While ancient man was certainly ingenious, I've never bought into pyramids, etc were built with basic elbow grease. Just look at the advanced machinery we have today and how long it takes to still build massive structures.
I saw a video of a crane trying to move a massive block of stone. It makes it hard to believe that the pyramids were built with a bunch of malnutritioned slaves. The amount of bodies and engineering prowess is just mind boggling. Ancient civilizations had to be more advanced than we give them credit for.
a reply to: Edumakated
2 points. GOOGLE Coral Castle and Michigan engineer solves the mysteries of moving stones.
Both men each moved these huge stones, alone. A-lone.
Search it on youtube.
Being thats the case...it revises all things and mindboggling info...down to one person achieving the process ALONE.
2 points. GOOGLE Coral Castle and Michigan engineer solves the mysteries of moving stones.
Both men each moved these huge stones, alone. A-lone.
Search it on youtube.
Being thats the case...it revises all things and mindboggling info...down to one person achieving the process ALONE.
The important dates include the end of the ice age in Europe 12000 years ago. Before then most of Northern Europe was just ice tundra. Once that
started melting more land became habitable to both humans and vegetation. It took nature 9000 years to completely cover the lands with trees. By 3000
BC every possible location was covered with trees. That would have meant humans could move anywhere while being sheltered from the heat of the sun.
Being a hunter-gatherer would have been easy back then. Just live in a cave, use branches, twigs and leaves to form a simple wall. Use forest floor wood for heat, and go hunting when you need to. As trees were cut down for heating, building materials and to make clearings, the land could be walled off with stones or wooded fences to grow crops and keep animals ready to kill and eat. Then keeping and breeding animals and crops would be easier than hunting.
By 1000AD, Britains forest cover had dropped to 15%, while Europe was down to 35%.
Being a hunter-gatherer would have been easy back then. Just live in a cave, use branches, twigs and leaves to form a simple wall. Use forest floor wood for heat, and go hunting when you need to. As trees were cut down for heating, building materials and to make clearings, the land could be walled off with stones or wooded fences to grow crops and keep animals ready to kill and eat. Then keeping and breeding animals and crops would be easier than hunting.
By 1000AD, Britains forest cover had dropped to 15%, while Europe was down to 35%.
a reply to: paraphi
Agreed. It just seems our developmental evolution quickly accelerated during the past 12,000 to 30,000 years, compared to our entire evolution at 6 million years.
Er, evolution happened. You don't need a spaceman to intervene to apparently hasten evolution, you just need circumstance and opportunity.
Evolution favours the most adaptable and our ancestors had to adapt to a difficult world, where the survival strategy was intelligence.
Agreed. It just seems our developmental evolution quickly accelerated during the past 12,000 to 30,000 years, compared to our entire evolution at 6 million years.
originally posted by: mysterioustranger
a reply to: Edumakated
2 points. GOOGLE Coral Castle and Michigan engineer solves the mysteries of moving stones.
Both men each moved these huge stones, alone. A-lone.
Search it on youtube.
Being thats the case...it revises all things and mindboggling info...down to one person achieving the process ALONE.
Coral reef was debunked
actually most of what people think of what happerned in the dark ages is not true, the human race did continue improving, some examples listverse.com...[edi tby]edit on 11-11-2015 by suicideeddie because: spelling
originally posted by: SLAYER69
a reply to: Cosmic911
What happened in our evolutionary line to warrant such development? So many things developed 'suddenly' it appears, like language, the ability to make and use tools, social structures, etc
I dunno know but here's a brain torque.
If it weren't for the "Dark Ages" we'd probably already be an interstellar space fairing species.
a reply to: Edumakated
Hate to throw a spanner in the works but pyramids were built through generations, some taking over 100 yrs to build. No matter how malnutrioned they were when time is not an object many amazing things can be achieved.
One recent theory is all the waste products are inside the pyramid, making ramps and building far more accessible than previously thought.
Hate to throw a spanner in the works but pyramids were built through generations, some taking over 100 yrs to build. No matter how malnutrioned they were when time is not an object many amazing things can be achieved.
One recent theory is all the waste products are inside the pyramid, making ramps and building far more accessible than previously thought.
originally posted by: SLAYER69
a reply to: Cosmic911
What happened in our evolutionary line to warrant such development? So many things developed 'suddenly' it appears, like language, the ability to make and use tools, social structures, etc
I dunno know but here's a brain torque.
If it weren't for the "Dark Ages" we'd probably already be an interstellar space fairing species.
What is called the dark ages only happened in Europe, because at the same time in the arab and muslim world in general, it was a golden age. Islamic Golden Age
originally posted by: Cosmic911
a reply to: SLAYER69
I realize the 'Dark Ages' constitutes a large portion, say from the Fall of Rome to the 13th, or so, centuries, but what exactly did or did Not happen during this time to set us 'back?' The Black Death occurred later, mid 14th century? I admit my ignorance to the time period.
The fact is, the "Dark Ages" were not "dark" and Rome did not "fall." These are popular concepts that don't stand up to scrutiny. Any competent historian today would never say "Dark Ages," but would say "Middle Ages" or an equivalent. Many innovative things happened during this time, especially in the realm of agriculture. These were NOT stagnant times any more than the cultures outside of the Roman Empire, e.g. Germanic, were "barbaric." That's just Roman propaganda. Neither applied and further, even the concept itself applies only to Western Europe--not China and not the Middle East where the level of civilization was roughly equivalent, and often more advanced than Western Civilization itself.
This idea that we "would have been a star-faring species by now if only the Dark Ages hadn't happened is kind of like saying "I would have been a millionaire had I invested in IBM stock in the forties." It's inherently unprovable in the same manner invoking aliens to "explain" human progress, which, is completely unnecessary.
edit on 11/11/2015 by schuyler because: (no reason given)
originally posted by: SLAYER69
a reply to: Cosmic911
What happened in our evolutionary line to warrant such development? So many things developed 'suddenly' it appears, like language, the ability to make and use tools, social structures, etc
I dunno know but here's a brain torque.
If it weren't for the "Dark Ages" we'd probably already be an interstellar space fairing species.
Here's another - we've been around long enough to already have been... multiple times.
originally posted by: schuyler
This idea that we "would have been a star-faring species by now if only the Dark Ages hadn't happened is kind of like saying "I would have been a millionaire had I invested in IBM stock in the forties." It's inherently unprovable in the same manner invoking aliens to "explain" human progress, which, is completely unnecessary.
I could have been had I invested in Microsoft in the 80's.
edit on 11-11-2015 by draknoir2 because: (no reason given)