Ancient Astronaut Theory: This theory posits that extraterrestrials influenced human civilizations in ancient times. What are its main arguments and the criticisms it faces?

Hello, this is a fascinating question, and talking about it always keeps me awake. The "Ancient Astronaut Theory," just like its name suggests, sounds incredibly cool and sci-fi.

Simply put, the core idea of this theory is: a very long time ago, extraterrestrials visited Earth and profoundly influenced human civilization. The "gods" in our myths, who could summon wind and rain and possessed immense power, were very likely these high-tech alien visitors.

Proponents of this theory (most famously Erich von Däniken, who wrote Chariots of the Gods, and the popular documentary Ancient Aliens) have presented numerous "pieces of evidence" to support their claims. These can mainly be categorized as follows:

Main Arguments (Their "Evidence")

1. "Clues" in Ancient Texts and Artworks

   • Flying "Gods" and Chariots: Many ancient myths describe deities riding flying vehicles. For instance, Chinese immortals are said to ride clouds, and India's Mahabharata mentions a flying vehicle called "Vimana," capable of aerial combat. Proponents of the theory would say: "See, isn't this just ancient people witnessing spaceships but, unable to comprehend them, recording them in mythological terms?"
   • Strange Murals and Sculptures: Across the world, in cave paintings and ancient sculptures, some figures appear "modern." For example, some characters seem to wear spacesuits and helmets; the most famous example is the Mayan "Palenque Sarcophagus Lid," whose carvings are interpreted by some as an astronaut piloting a spacecraft with flames trailing behind.

2. Grand Structures Unexplainable by Contemporary Technology

   • Pyramids, Stonehenge: These are the most frequently cited examples. The Egyptian pyramids are so magnificent, with stones weighing tons or even tens of tons stacked so high and fitted together so precisely. Then there's Stonehenge in England and the Nazca Lines in Peru (massive ground drawings only visible from the sky). Proponents ask: "How did ancient people, thousands of years ago, with only bronze and stone tools, accomplish such engineering feats? Did aliens assist with anti-gravity technology or laser cutting?"
   • Pumapunku's Precise Cuts: In Bolivia, there's a site called Pumapunku, where stones are cut with machine-like precision, sharp angles, and intricate grooves that fit together perfectly. This is presented as another "ironclad proof" that "ancient technology couldn't have achieved this."

3. "Out-of-Place Artifacts" (OOPArts)

   • These refer to objects found in archaeological strata that are completely inconsistent with the technological level of that era. For example, the so-called "Dendera Light," a relief in an Egyptian temple, looks remarkably like a giant light bulb with a filament inside. Proponents believe this is evidence that ancient Egyptians possessed knowledge of electricity, knowledge that likely came from extraterrestrials.

Criticisms (How Mainstream Academia Views It)

Of course, while these "pieces of evidence" sound impressive, they largely don't hold up in the eyes of archaeologists, historians, and scientists. Criticisms of this theory mainly focus on the following points:

1. Cherry-picking and Over-interpretation

   • Myths Are Not Technical Manuals: Myths about flying chariots are actually ancient people's imaginative and literary descriptions of divine power, full of symbolic meaning. We cannot impose our modern understanding of "spaceships" onto ancient poetry and stories. This is like people thousands of years from now seeing our modern cartoons of "Sun Wukong riding his somersault cloud" and concluding that we once saw flying monkeys.
   • Seeing What You Want to See, Overthinking: The so-called "astronaut" murals and sculptures are largely due to a psychological phenomenon called "pareidolia," where our brains tend to find familiar shapes in vague, random patterns (like seeing faces in clouds). Mainstream archaeologists believe the "Palenque Sarcophagus Lid" depicts the Mayan mythological journey of a king to the underworld after death, having nothing to do with spaceships. The "Dendera Light" is actually a scene from Egyptian mythology depicting a snake emerging from a lotus flower, symbolizing creation.

2. Severely Underestimating Ancient Wisdom and Capabilities

   • This is the most central criticism. The Ancient Astronaut Theory has an implicit premise: "ancient people were stupid, not as smart as us, so they couldn't have completed those great engineering feats." But this is a very arrogant prejudice.
   • How Were the Pyramids Built? Archaeologists, through extensive research and experimentation, have reconstructed possible methods ancient Egyptians used to build the pyramids, such as using ramps, levers, and water lubrication to transport and hoist massive stones. This required astonishing organizational skills, mathematical knowledge, and years of perseverance, but not alien technology.
   • How Were the Precise Cuts Made? Although the stones at Pumapunku are hard, using harder stone or bronze tools, combined with sand and water as an abrasive, and given enough time, very high precision can be achieved. This precisely demonstrates how patient and skilled ancient artisans were, rather than suggesting they received alien power saws. The Nazca Lines could also be planned on the ground using simple geometric tools (a few stakes and ropes).

3. Lack of Any Direct, Reliable Evidence

   • After all this talk, the Ancient Astronaut Theory has never produced a single genuine "alien artifact." No alien alloy, no alien chip, no alien skeleton. All "evidence" consists of "reinterpretations" of existing terrestrial artifacts. In science, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and this theory clearly lacks it.

In Summary

So, you can look at it this way:

The Ancient Astronaut Theory is like a thrilling sci-fi blockbuster. It connects all the mysterious, unexplainable ancient wonders of the world with a simple, crude, yet highly appealing answer—"aliens did it!" It satisfies people's curiosity and imagination, which is why it's so popular.

However, mainstream science and history are like a rigorous documentary. They tell us that solving these mysteries requires patience, evidence, and respect for the wisdom of ancient peoples. Behind those wonders are not aliens, but the astonishing creativity, perseverance, and organizational skills of our ancestors. While this might not sound as "cool," it's likely a more accurate answer.

It's quite interesting to listen to it as a fun, speculative story. But if you take it as actual history, you might be underestimating humanity itself.