Quizá no es muy halagador para una revolucionaria rama del conocimiento “científico” tener entre sus iniciadores a un reconocido estafador con sórdidos antecedentes penales como Erich von Däniken, pero así es. De todos modos no estamos aquí para juzgar su vida privada sino su legado. Tras la publicación de su libro “Recuerdos del Futuro” en 1968 hubo una especie de terremoto en la comunidad científica. Casi de inmediato muchos científicos ortodoxos se apresuraron a publicar refutaciones de su teoría que, básicamente, replanteaba el modo en que debía verse la evidencia histórica, arqueológica y mitológica. Para von Däniken si uno sustituye todo aquello que tiene que ver con “dioses” en el pasado humano por “alienígenas” puede llevarse varias sorpresas. Pero lo que quizá arrancó como una simple especulación o ejercicio contra-fáctico se transformó de la noche a la mañana en una certeza científica.
Tal vez habría que remontarse a “El retorno de los brujos” de Louis Pauwels y Jacques Bergier, publicado en 1960 para encontrar sugerencias similares a la de von Däniken. De hecho hay quienes aseguran que von Däniken plagió ideas de Pauwels y Bergier. Otros prefieren remontarse al “Libro de los Condenados: mil hechos malditos ignorados por la Ciencia” de Charles Fort, publicado en 1919. Pero seguramente la primera exposición clara de una idea semejante está en dos cuentos de H.P. Lovecraft: “La llamada de Cthulhu” (1928) y “En las Montañas de la Locura” (publicada en la célebre colección pionera de historias de ciencia ficción “Astunding Stories” en 1936).
Sin embargo es totalmente cierto que von Däniken no fue el primero en enunciar la teoría de los extraterrestres ancestrales. En 1967 Robert Charroux ya había publicado su “Nuestros Antepasados Extraterrestres”. También el escritor y fundador de la Cienciología, L. Ron Hubbard, había ya diseñado en 1952 su doctrina “filosófica” y su mitología centrada en la idea de intervenciones extraterrestres en el pasado de la Humanidad. En 1954 el periodista británico Harold T. Wilkins propone la idea de visitas aliens en el pasado en dos libros: “Flying Saucers on the Attack” y “Flying Saucers on the Moon”. Por 1967 Robert K. G. Temple habría empezado a escribir el libro que recién sería publicado en 1976: “El misterio de Sirio”. En esa obra se proponía una reinterpretación de los mitos Dogon de Senegal en la que se introducía la hipótesis del contacto extraterrestre en la antigüedad. Peter Kolosimo venía teorizando en igual sentido en la década del 60. Pero también los astrofísicos Iósif Shklovski y Carl Sagan sugirieron tal cosa en su obra “Vida Inteligente en el Universo” de 1966.
De todos modos debemos reconocerle a von Däniken que su obra en particular produjo un impacto mediático sin precedentes, que contribuyó a popularizar la temática. Y lo cierto es que la fascinación por tales ideas está lejos de entrar en bancarrota. La evidencia está en el éxito que la serie “Alienígenas Ancestrales” del History Channel cosecha semana a semana. La aceptación en la cultura popular de las visitas alienígenas en el pasado crece en forma inversamente proporcional a la consideración científica de tal enunciado. Por eso no deja de sonar extraño que los presentadores de los capítulos televisivos se esfuercen por mostrarse lo más serios y científicos posible al momento de exponer sus…teorías.
La serie comenzó a emitirse el 20 de abril de 2010 en base al documental especial que había salido al aire el 8 de marzo de 2009. Actualmente va por la 8ª Temporada y no da señales de agotamiento. El esquema es el mismo temporada tras temporada: una exposición de sugerencias (algunas de ellas muy descabelladas) seguidas de otra exposición de supuestas “evidencias” (muchas de ellas inadmisibles científicamente, incomprobables o abiertamente absurdas). Aclaremos: no me parece terrible para nada que se interpreten textos sagrados, tradiciones, folklore, mitos, relatos, obras de arte y otras producciones humanas de la Antigüedad de una forma, digamos, “heterodoxa”. Muchas veces resulta interesante y esclarecedor considerar otras interpretaciones abiertamente a contrapelo de las propias interpretaciones o de aquellas consideradas “lógicas”. Muchas veces la forma en que se ve la Historia ha cambiado, incluso radicalmente. No es eso lo que asusta. Lo que en realidad produce escozor es que se busque vender una especulación como una verdad asentada en actas. 
La historia de la ciencia está llena de errores gruesos de interpretación de evidencias. Por esa razón el conocimiento científico ha tendido cada vez más a una extrema cautela. Muchas veces esa cautela termina fosilizando paradigmas a pesar de que las evidencias aconsejen una revisión de los mismos. Sin embargo muchos “adelantados” de pronto consideran que el “corset” científico no es más que una conspiración con oscuras intenciones de ocultamiento de la realidad. O en todo caso evidencia de la ignorancia de la ciencia oficial.
En definitiva muchas de las versiones “alternativas” a la llamada “ortodoxia” científica terminan cometiendo los mismos errores que critican. Se vuelven dogmáticas y se fundamentan exclusivamente en el prejuicio. Y eso es lo que alimenta “Alienígenas Ancestrales”. Porque parte de una premisa que es una especie de verdad absoluta: hubo alienígenas en la Antigüedad. Y no está dispuesta a afrontar las consecuencias de que semejante enunciado no sea cierto. En cambio se limita a sugerir algo machaconamente. Y todos sabemos en qué se basa tal procedimiento: en la idea de que si se repite algo mucho tiempo se termina convirtiendo en una verdad.
ARTICLE IN ENGLISH
(there may be errors in translation)
ARTICLE IN ENGLISH
(there may be errors in translation)
ANCIENT ASTRONAUT Theorists say yes
Perhaps it is not very flattering to a revolutionary branch of knowledge "scientific" have among its initiators to a recognized swindler with sordid criminal record as Erich von Daniken, but it is. Anyway we are not here to judge his private life but his legacy. Following the publication of his book "Memories of the Future" in 1968 there was a kind of earthquake in the scientific community. Almost immediately, many orthodox scientists were quick to publish refutations of his theory that basically replanteaba how they should be historical, mythological and archaeological evidence. To von Daniken if one replaces everything that has to do with "gods" in the human past by "aliens" can be several surprises. But what maybe started as a mere speculation or counterfactual exercise became the overnight in a scientific certainty.Maybe we should go back to "The Morning of the Magicians" of Louis Pauwels and Jacques Bergier, published in 1960 to find similar suggestions to von Daniken. In fact some say that von Däniken plagiarized ideas Pauwels and Bergier. Others prefer to go back to the "Book of the Damned: thousand damned facts ignored by science" of Charles Fort, published in 1919. But surely the first clear statement of such an idea is in two stories by HP Lovecraft, "The Call of Cthulhu" (1928) and "At the Mountains of Madness" (published in the famous pioneering collection of science fiction stories "Astunding Stories" in 1936).However, it is absolutely true that von Däniken was not the first to enunciate the theory of ancient aliens. Robert Charroux in 1967 had already published his "Our Ancestors Aliens". Also the writer and founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard had already designed in 1952 his "philosophical" doctrine and mythology centered on the idea of extraterrestrial interventions in the past of mankind. In 1954 the British journalist Harold T. Wilkins proposed the idea of aliens visits in the past two books: "Flying Saucers on the Attack" and "Flying Saucers on the Moon". By 1967 Robert KG Temple had begun to write the book that would be newly published in 1976: "The Sirius Mystery". In this work a reinterpretation of Senegal Dogon myths in which the hypothesis of extraterrestrial contact in ancient times was introduced proposed. Peter Kolosimo theorizing came in the same direction in the 60s But astrophysicists Carl Sagan and Iosif Shklovsky suggested such a thing in his book "Intelligent Life in the Universe" 1966.Anyway we must recognize von Daniken that his work was a particularly unprecedented media coverage, which helped popularize the subject. And the truth is that the fascination with these ideas is far from going bankrupt. The evidence is in the success of the "Ancient Aliens" series of History Channel harvest every week. Acceptance into the popular culture of alien visitation in the past grows in inverse proportion to the scientific consideration of such a statement. Why not stop ringing odd that television presenters chapters strive to show the most serious and when scientists can present their theories ....The series began airing on April 20, 2010 based on the special documentary was aired on 8 March 2009. Currently going by the 8th season and shows no signs of exhaustion. The scheme is the same every season: an exhibition of suggestions (some very crazy) followed by another exhibition called "evidence" (many unacceptable scientifically unverifiable or openly absurd). Clarify: I do not think anything terrible for interpreting sacred texts, traditions, folklore, myths, stories, art and other human productions of antiquity in a way, say, "heterodox". It is often interesting and enlightening to consider other interpretations openly counter to the interpretations themselves or those considered "logical". Often the way history is changed, even radically. Is not that what scares. What actually occurs is that you look stinging sell speculation as truth seated in minutes.The history of science is full of gross errors of interpretation of evidence. That is why scientific knowledge has tended increasingly to extreme caution. Often it ends fossilized paradigms that caution even though the evidence warrant a review of the same. However many "developed" suddenly feel that the "corset" scientist is merely a conspiracy with dark intentions of hiding from reality. Or in any case evidence of ignorance of official science.Ultimately many of the "alternative" versions to the "orthodox" scientific end up making the same mistakes they criticize. They are become dogmatic and are based solely on prejudice. And that is what fuels "Ancient Aliens". Because of a premise that is a kind of absolute truth were aliens in antiquity. And you are not willing to face the consequences of such a statement is not true. Instead it merely suggests something insistently. And we all know what that procedure is based: the idea that if something is repeated a long time end up becoming true.
Perhaps it is not very flattering to a revolutionary branch of knowledge "scientific" have among its initiators to a recognized swindler with sordid criminal record as Erich von Daniken, but it is. Anyway we are not here to judge his private life but his legacy. Following the publication of his book "Memories of the Future" in 1968 there was a kind of earthquake in the scientific community. Almost immediately, many orthodox scientists were quick to publish refutations of his theory that basically replanteaba how they should be historical, mythological and archaeological evidence. To von Daniken if one replaces everything that has to do with "gods" in the human past by "aliens" can be several surprises. But what maybe started as a mere speculation or counterfactual exercise became the overnight in a scientific certainty.Maybe we should go back to "The Morning of the Magicians" of Louis Pauwels and Jacques Bergier, published in 1960 to find similar suggestions to von Daniken. In fact some say that von Däniken plagiarized ideas Pauwels and Bergier. Others prefer to go back to the "Book of the Damned: thousand damned facts ignored by science" of Charles Fort, published in 1919. But surely the first clear statement of such an idea is in two stories by HP Lovecraft, "The Call of Cthulhu" (1928) and "At the Mountains of Madness" (published in the famous pioneering collection of science fiction stories "Astunding Stories" in 1936).However, it is absolutely true that von Däniken was not the first to enunciate the theory of ancient aliens. Robert Charroux in 1967 had already published his "Our Ancestors Aliens". Also the writer and founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard had already designed in 1952 his "philosophical" doctrine and mythology centered on the idea of extraterrestrial interventions in the past of mankind. In 1954 the British journalist Harold T. Wilkins proposed the idea of aliens visits in the past two books: "Flying Saucers on the Attack" and "Flying Saucers on the Moon". By 1967 Robert KG Temple had begun to write the book that would be newly published in 1976: "The Sirius Mystery". In this work a reinterpretation of Senegal Dogon myths in which the hypothesis of extraterrestrial contact in ancient times was introduced proposed. Peter Kolosimo theorizing came in the same direction in the 60s But astrophysicists Carl Sagan and Iosif Shklovsky suggested such a thing in his book "Intelligent Life in the Universe" 1966.Anyway we must recognize von Daniken that his work was a particularly unprecedented media coverage, which helped popularize the subject. And the truth is that the fascination with these ideas is far from going bankrupt. The evidence is in the success of the "Ancient Aliens" series of History Channel harvest every week. Acceptance into the popular culture of alien visitation in the past grows in inverse proportion to the scientific consideration of such a statement. Why not stop ringing odd that television presenters chapters strive to show the most serious and when scientists can present their theories ....The series began airing on April 20, 2010 based on the special documentary was aired on 8 March 2009. Currently going by the 8th season and shows no signs of exhaustion. The scheme is the same every season: an exhibition of suggestions (some very crazy) followed by another exhibition called "evidence" (many unacceptable scientifically unverifiable or openly absurd). Clarify: I do not think anything terrible for interpreting sacred texts, traditions, folklore, myths, stories, art and other human productions of antiquity in a way, say, "heterodox". It is often interesting and enlightening to consider other interpretations openly counter to the interpretations themselves or those considered "logical". Often the way history is changed, even radically. Is not that what scares. What actually occurs is that you look stinging sell speculation as truth seated in minutes.The history of science is full of gross errors of interpretation of evidence. That is why scientific knowledge has tended increasingly to extreme caution. Often it ends fossilized paradigms that caution even though the evidence warrant a review of the same. However many "developed" suddenly feel that the "corset" scientist is merely a conspiracy with dark intentions of hiding from reality. Or in any case evidence of ignorance of official science.Ultimately many of the "alternative" versions to the "orthodox" scientific end up making the same mistakes they criticize. They are become dogmatic and are based solely on prejudice. And that is what fuels "Ancient Aliens". Because of a premise that is a kind of absolute truth were aliens in antiquity. And you are not willing to face the consequences of such a statement is not true. Instead it merely suggests something insistently. And we all know what that procedure is based: the idea that if something is repeated a long time end up becoming true.
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Para los que somos fans de las bestias prehistóricas de la Era Secundaria desde la infancia, es indudable que la idea popularizada por Michael Crichton en su libro "Jurassic Park" (Editorial Alfred A. Knopf, 1990, EUA) y llevada a la pantalla por Steven Spielberg (Amblin Entertanmeint) en 1993, significó una auténtica revolución. En efecto, se trataba de reeditar la "Dinomanía" a niveles de fiebre. En primer lugar se terminaba con los viejos argumentos sobre dinosaurios supervivientes en remotos parajes perdidos, ya agotados y del todo inverosímiles (a menos que se descubra realmente un dinosaurio superviviente, claro). Por otro lado estaba el realismo impactante en las reconstrucciones digitales y en la interacción de los personajes reales con ellas. De hecho el gran público convirtió a la novela de Crichton en un best-seller, y a la película de Spielberg en un éxito de taquilla (además de ser laureada con 3 Premios Oscar de la Academia).
