Erich von Daniken

Erich von Daniken (born April 14, 1935 in Zofingen, Switzerland) is a controversial Swiss author who is best known for authoring works about extraterrestrial influence on human culture since prehistoric times. He is one of the figures responsible for popularizing the paleocontact and ancient astronaut theories.

Currently von Daniken is a prominent member of the Archaeology, Astronautics and SETI Research Association (AAS RA), of which he is a co-founder. Von Daniken has developed a theme park called Mystery Park, based in Interlaken, Switzerland. It opened May 23, 2003. A new science fiction television series based upon his books is under production.

Claims of alien influence on Earth

Building on the earlier works of many others, von Daniken reiterated the theory (already discussed by previous authors) that if intelligent extraterrestrial life exists and has entered the local Solar System in the past, there is the possibility of finding traces of their visits on Earth, on the neighboring planets, or elsewhere in space.

He has also reiterated the theory that human evolution may have been manipulated by means of genetic engineering by extraterrestrial beings.

His 26 books have been translated into more than 20 languages, selling more than 60 million copies worldwide, and his documentary TV-shows have been viewed in Germany and the United States. His influence can also be seen in science fiction, the New Age culture and some modern religions.

The evidence von Daniken has put forward to support the paleo-contact theories can be categorised as follows:

• Artifacts have been found which represent higher technological knowledge than is presumed to have existed at times when they were manufactured. Von Daniken maintains that these artifacts have been manufactured either by extraterrestrial visitors or by humans who learned the necessary knowledge from them. Such artifacts include Stonehenge, the head statues of Easter Island and the Antikythera mechanism.

• In ancient art throughout the world themes can be observed which can be interpreted to illustrate astronauts, air and space vehicles, non-human but intelligent creatures, and artifacts of high technology. Von Daniken also points out details that are similar in art of unrelated cultures.

• Origins of religions as reaction to a contact of primitive humans with an alien race. The humans considered the technology of the aliens to be supernatural and the aliens themselves to be gods. According to von Daniken the oral and literal traditions of most religions contain references to visitors from 'stars' and vehicles travelling through air and space. These, he says, should be interpreted as literal descriptions which have changed during the passage of time and become more obscure, rather than symbolic or mythical fiction. One such is Ezekiel's revelation in Old Testament, which he interprets as a detailed description of a landing spacecraft.....

Historians believe that the remains of the man who inspired Father Christmas, St Nicholas, are buried in Ireland. He lived during the 4th century and gained sainthood for his tendancy to leave gifts for the poor. He died in the year 346AD."The remains of St Nicholas, the man who inspired Father Christmas, are buried at Jerpoint Abbey in County Kilkenny, Ireland, historians believe.

Experts claim that the philanthropist St Nicholas of Myra is entombed at the 12th century abbey after his body was moved there 800 yearsago."

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Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson has said that he saw a ghost 20 years ago at Wellington"s Courtney Place. He had woken up one morning to see the figure of a woman standing in his room that glided over andvanished through a wall."His sighting was in an apartment he and his wife had in Wellington"s Courtney Place opposite the St James Theatre, when they first met 20 years ago.

"I woke up one morning and there was a figure in the room, she was very scary, she had a screaming face, veryaccusatory, she was a lady about 50 years old," Jackson said."

View: Full Article | Source: Stuff.co.nz

A 33-year-old student has revealed a cigar that he was given by his grandfather at the age of 12 that would have been smoked by Winston Churchill during a historic meeting at which the D-Daylandings were planned."A cigar smoked by Prime Minister Winston Churchill as he planned D-Day has been discovered in a small market village - after being hidden for over 50 years.

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