The Hidden Secrets Of America’s Ancient Apocalypse - Graham Hancock

The True History of America (0s)

• Columbus's discovery of America in 1492 is often highlighted, but evidence suggests that the Americas may have been discovered as early as 130,000 years ago, which challenges the traditional timeline of human settlement in the region. (16s)
• A team from the San Diego Natural History Museum, led by Tom Demay, excavated the Cerutti Mastodon site near San Diego, where they found mastodon bones that appeared to have been systematically crushed using stone tools, indicating human activity. (45s)
• The interpretation of these findings suggests that humans, possibly Denisovans, Neanderthals, or anatomically modern humans, were present in the Americas 130,000 years ago, which contradicts the long-held belief of a more recent settlement. (1m13s)
• Archaeologists have traditionally supported the "Clovis first" model, which posited that humans arrived in the Americas around 13,000 years ago, but recent evidence has pushed this date back to around 23,000 to 24,000 years ago, with some sites in South America potentially being even older. (2m55s)
• The Cerutti Mastodon site has sparked debate among archaeologists, with ongoing discussions and papers being published in scientific journals like Nature, reflecting a gradual shift in the understanding of early human presence in the Americas. (3m12s)
• Anatomically modern humans are known to have been in Europe and Australia between 50,000 and 60,000 years ago, and in Africa as far back as 300,000 years ago, with the earliest remains found in Jebel Irhoud, Morocco, dating to 310,000 years ago. (3m49s)
• The discovery of older human remains continues to challenge and extend the timeline of human history, suggesting that our understanding of early human migration and settlement is still evolving. (4m12s)
• The timeline for the existence of anatomically modern humans has been pushed back from 50,000 years ago in the 1990s to over 300,000 years ago with new discoveries, particularly in Ethiopia (4m36s).
• The general view has been that the origins of civilization should not be looked for in the Americas because they were recently settled, but new discoveries are changing this picture (4m44s).
• Archaeology is slow to change its paradigms, but the discovery of older human presence in the Americas will need to change the current understanding of the origins of civilization (4m56s).
• The established history told by archaeologists about the settlement of the Americas was that the Clovis culture entered North America across the Bering land bridge during the Ice Age, around 13,400 years ago (5m39s).
• This theory, known as the Clovis first hypothesis, became the subject of a bitter battle amongst archaeologists, with some powerful and influential archaeologists clinging to it despite new evidence suggesting an older human presence (6m18s).
• Archaeologists who brought new evidence to the table suggesting an older human presence in the Americas risked having their careers destroyed, being humiliated, and having funding withdrawn from their research (6m30s).
• The Clovis first doctrine stuck until the evidence became overwhelming, such as Tom D's discovery of Monte Verde in South America, which dated back at least 14,000 years ago, and Jack's excavation of Bluefish caves in the Yukon, which found evidence of human presence 24,000 years ago (6m54s).
• Jack's discovery was initially met with skepticism and criticism, but he was finally proved to be right in 2017, although his career was already damaged by the backlash (7m27s).
• The journey from the Bering land bridge to South America is a long one, and it is presumed that if humans entered the Americas around 13,000 years ago, it would have taken a significant amount of time to travel down to South America (8m3s).
• Archaeologists are beginning to accept the idea that our ancestors were seafarers, as it would have been impossible to reach Australia without a sea voyage, even at the peak of the Ice Age when sea levels were at their lowest (8m17s).
• The settlement of Australia, which occurred around 50,000 to 60,000 years ago, would have required a substantial group of people with the means of survival, indicating that boat journeys were involved (8m48s).
• The island of Cyprus, which was settled around 14,000 years ago, provides evidence of a highly organized project involving sophisticated shipping and large numbers of people carrying animals with them (9m7s).
• The acceptance of seafaring ancestors is becoming more widespread now that the Clovis first theory has been discredited, and archaeologists are starting to consider the possibility that humans used ships to reach the Americas (9m29s).
• However, many archaeologists prefer the idea that humans island-hopped from Siberia down the coast of Alaska and into North America, rather than crossing the Pacific Ocean directly (9m42s).
• This theory is challenged by the fact that South American sites are often older than North American sites, and DNA evidence connects the peoples of Melanesia, New Guinea, and Australian Aborigines with certain indigenous peoples in Taiwan and the Amazon rainforest (9m56s).
• This genetic signal is not found in North America, suggesting that there may have been a direct crossing of the Pacific Ocean by sea, which could have occurred thousands of years before the remains found in South America, which are already over 10,000 years old (10m28s).
• The discovery of complete skeletal remains with this DNA signal in South America is an accident of discovery, and it is likely that there were earlier sea crossings that have not yet been found (11m5s).
• The idea of a direct Pacific Ocean crossing is supported by the fact that the Indonesian archipelago was joined into a landmass called Sunda during the Ice Age, and it would have been necessary to cross open ocean to reach New Guinea and Australia (11m27s).
• The case of Cyprus involved a distance of about 50 or 60 kilometers, but the idea of humans crossing the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean thousands of miles, more than 10,000 years ago, is still difficult for archaeologists to accept (11m51s).
• Archaeologists are faced with genetic evidence that they cannot deny, and they must look for an explanation, despite the lack of a clear answer (12m6s).
• The simplest explanation is that there was a Pacific Crossing, as the connection is between peoples who live on the east side of the Asian land mass down into Australia and people on the west side of the South American land mass (12m19s).
• There is other evidence of people being present in the Americas earlier than previously thought, but it is unclear how they got there (12m36s).
• Several sites in South America are strongly disputed and are much older, raising questions about how people arrived there (12m49s).
• The notion that the entry into the Americas was only through North America, 13,000 or 23,000 years ago, must be seriously questioned (12m59s).
• The reason South America is not considered as the possible first place of human habitation in the Americas is due to the prejudice that ancestors could not have sailed the entire Pacific Ocean (13m18s).

Why the Amazon is So Extraordinary (13m27s)

• The Amazon is a unique and extraordinary environment that is both inhospitable and capable of supporting human life, with intense heat, humidity, and wildlife, yet it is also a "garden" where humans can flourish (13m28s).
• Despite being under-researched by archaeology due to the high costs and perceived lack of findings, new information is emerging that is changing this perspective (14m17s).
• The Amazon is facing large-scale deforestation, with areas being cleared for soybean farms and cattle ranches, leading to the discovery of previously hidden structures (14m59s).
• These structures include gigantic, perfectly geometrical earthworks, such as squares, circles, and rectangles, that can be hundreds of meters in scale and are aligned to the true cardinal directions (north, southeast, and west) (15m59s).
• The earthworks do not feature standing stones, as there is no stone in that part of the Amazon, but instead consist of large-scale geometric patterns (15m52s).
• The discovery of these earthworks has been facilitated by a team led by archaeologist Marty Paronen from the University of Helsinki and geographer Alceu Ranzi from Brazil, who first spotted the structures from the air and noted their similarity to the Nazca Lines (17m3s).
• The earthworks are so large that they can only be fully appreciated from the air, and their discovery is providing new insights into the history and culture of the Amazon region (17m26s).
• Researchers Alo and Marty are conducting a detailed LiDAR study in the Amazon rainforest, using the technology to see through the canopy and identify relief features underneath without causing destruction, and have found half a dozen new structures under the canopy while investigating areas that have already been cleared (17m52s).
• The LiDAR technology has picked up extraordinary geometrical structures extending into the jungle, with Alo and Marty believing that there are thousands of these structures still waiting to be discovered (18m14s).
• Indigenous people, such as the Arina people, consider these geoglyphs to be sacred and believe that there are thousands of them throughout the jungle, which they still venerate and value today, using them as places for shamans to work healing medicine on people (18m35s).
• The geoglyphs that have been found so far date back around 2,000 to 3,000 years, based on the dating of organic material found in the earthworks, but it is believed that the sites may have been sacred to people for at least 10,000 years (18m49s).
• Excavations at the sites have found intense human use, with large amounts of charcoal and carbon, suggesting that the sites were selected and considered sacred for thousands of years (19m15s).
• A project is underway in the Amazon to use LiDAR to find and study these sites without destroying the rainforest, which has already revealed the existence of huge cities in the Amazon with populations of tens of millions before the Spanish conquest (19m44s).
• The Amazon is believed to have had large-scale permanent settlements, joined by straight roadways that ran for hundreds of kilometers, with the work just beginning to get to grips with the dates of these lost civilization (20m19s).
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Graham’s Experiences With Ayahuasca (22m0s)

• The author was working on a book titled "Supernatural" (now retitled as "Visionary") in 2003, which explored the idea that psychedelics played a key role in the evolution of human consciousness, a notion credited to Terence McKenna (22m0s).
• Evidence of psychedelic use can be seen in cave art and rock art worldwide, including in the Amazon, and is attributed to the work of Professor David Lewis-Williams of the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa (22m37s).
• Shamans in the Amazon who drink the powerful visionary brew ayahuasca (also known as iowaska) often paint their visions, which are similar to ancient rock paintings found in Colombia and Europe, dating back over 12,000 years (22m55s).
• The author traveled to the Amazon in 2003 to drink ayahuasca with an indigenous shaman named Francisco Montes Shuna, having 11 initial sessions for research purposes, followed by around 70 more sessions for personal growth (23m43s).
• Ayahuasca is considered a teacher by the Amazonians, and the author believes it has helped them address life issues and learn important lessons (24m21s).
• The author's most recent ayahuasca session was in the Peruvian Amazon, filmed for season two of "Ancient Apocalypse," and was led by the same shaman, Francisco Montes Shuna, 20 years after their initial meeting (24m30s).
• It is recommended to drink ayahuasca under the guidance of an experienced shaman, as the experience can be intense and potentially hazardous if not handled properly (25m4s).
• Western shamans can also lead ayahuasca sessions, but they should learn techniques from Amazonian shamans to ensure a safe and beneficial experience (25m11s).
• The author's friend, Colombian anthropologist Lis Eduardo Luna, an expert on ayahuasca, joined them for the session in the Peruvian Amazon (25m35s).
• Iasa is a brew made from two ingredients: the iasa vine and the leaves of the shakuna bush, which contains the powerful psychedelic DMT, specifically N,N-DMT. (25m49s)
• The iasa vine itself has almost no visionary properties, but it provides a monoamine oxidase inhibitor that allows the DMT in the leaves to be active when consumed orally. (26m26s)
• The combination of the two ingredients in iasa allows for a 4-hour journey to the other side of reality, which is much slower-paced than the experience of smoked or vaped DMT. (28m26s)
• The physical consequences of consuming iasa can include vomiting and diarrhea, but these side effects may decrease with long-term exposure. (28m46s)
• The visionary experiences from iasa can be extremely powerful, but sometimes the user may not experience anything, which is referred to as a "nada" in Peru. (29m7s)
• In Peru, shamans view the "nada" as a positive experience, believing that the user is downloading information subconsciously even if they are not consciously aware of it. (29m16s)
• The presence of similar cave paintings in the Amazon, Europe, and elsewhere in the world, potentially created under the influence of psychedelics, implies a shared human experience and story across different cultures. (29m30s)
• Psychedelics are involved in various traditional practices, with different types being used in each case. (29m44s)
• Yagé, also spelled yahé, is a form of ayahuasca that includes the ayahuasca vine but also incorporates another vine that provides DMT and 5-MeO-DMT, making it more powerful than ayahuasca alone. (29m52s)
• The experience with yagé is described as intense and overwhelming, often involving visions and a sense of contact with an intelligence, though skeptics may dismiss these as hallucinations. (30m33s)
• The creation of these brews is attributed to Amazonian technology, which involves selecting specific plants from over 100,000 species, a process that seems unlikely to be achieved by trial and error alone. (31m1s)
• Shamans in the Amazon are observed to constantly sample and mix different plants, suggesting a deep knowledge and experimentation with plant properties. (31m30s)
• The use of ayahuasca is not considered recreational due to its powerful physical and emotional effects, which can reveal suppressed aspects of oneself. (32m0s)
• The experience can lead to personal insights, such as recognizing the impact of harsh words spoken in anger, highlighting the importance of being mindful of one's linguistic abilities. (32m22s)
• Shapiro's advice on balancing being right and being loved in relationships is recalled, highlighting the importance of tempering one's behavior to maintain harmony, especially in personal relationships (33m28s).
• The most significant lessons learned from past journeys have been recognizing and dealing with anger issues, which is an ongoing process of self-improvement and integration into daily life (33m49s).
• The hard work of personal growth begins after gaining new insights, and it is hoped that this process has led to becoming a kinder and more nurturing person over time (34m3s).
• The psychology of someone who has faced consistent criticism and has a disposition for anger, yet desires to transcend and include others, is a topic of interest, and this desire for transcendence is partly attributed to the awareness of one's own mortality (34m15s).
• As one ages, the awareness of mortality becomes more pronounced, and by the age of 74, the reality of a limited time left is fully acknowledged and accepted (34m30s).
• The acceptance of death's inevitability has led to a desire to look back on life and know that it was worthwhile, with more good done than harm, and to recognize that anger is a trait more suited to younger individuals (34m50s).

Is the Amazon Man-Made? (35m10s)

• The Amazon rainforest is considered a man-made jungle, with evidence suggesting that humans have actively shaped its environment to be beneficial for their needs. This is indicated by the prevalence of certain species like the Brazil nut tree, which are highly useful to humans and are hyper-dominant in the region, suggesting intentional cultivation rather than natural selection. (35m11s)
• The creation of curare, a nerve poison used to paralyze prey such as monkeys, demonstrates advanced shamanic science. Curare requires a precise combination of 11 different plants, highlighting the deep knowledge and scientific approach of the indigenous people who have lived in the Amazon for thousands of years. (36m8s)
• Terra preta, or "black earth," is another example of Amazonian innovation. These patches of highly fertile soil are scattered throughout the Amazon and are still sought after by modern settlers. Terra preta is a human-made soil that regenerates its own fertility, containing biochar and bacteria, and has been found to be over 8,000 years old. (37m25s)
• The Amazon's transformation into a useful environment for humans involved significant trial and error, allowing for the curation of the jungle to support human life. This includes the increased prevalence of certain trees like the Brazil nut, which would not naturally dominate the landscape without human intervention. (38m40s)
• The Amazon rainforest was not always in its current state; 12,000 to 14,000 years ago, it resembled the savannas of East Africa, and it's believed that human beings played a role in transforming it into a rainforest, possibly with the involvement of climate change (39m17s).
• The rainforest itself is likely not much older than 14,000 years, as evidenced by the presence of thousands of circles inside squares, which would have required clearing the area to build (39m52s).
• The human story in this region has not been fully explored, and following it through reveals intriguing hints of great sophistication in the past and a way of life that shouldn't be imagined as resembling modern civilization (40m19s).
• An advanced civilization should not be defined by its material wealth but by its spiritual wealth and ability to live in harmony with the environment, which is not the case with modern civilization (40m49s).
• Amazonian civilization, on the other hand, has lived in harmony with the environment for thousands of years, and this is attributed to its spiritual wealth and connection with nature (41m4s).
• The disregard for the world around us is not necessarily a result of individual humans being callous but rather a result of operating on a large scale as a hive mind, which has led to detachment from the natural world (41m53s).
• Modern science has become too focused on a rational approach to reality, neglecting the spiritual element, which is essential for a society to live in harmony with the environment (42m27s).
• There is a growing sense of connection to the planet and the universe, with people seeking spiritual experiences outside mainstream religions. Ayahuasca has gained popularity in the West as it offers a direct, transcendent experience of other dimensions. (43m3s)
• Ayahuasca and DMT are believed to provide temporary access to other levels of reality, and scientific research is being conducted at institutions like Imperial College London and the University of California, San Diego, to explore these experiences. (44m1s)
• Imperial College has developed a method to maintain the peak state of DMT for extended periods, allowing participants to remain in this state for an hour or longer, which subjectively feels much longer. (44m26s)
• Despite having epilepsy, there is interest in participating in extended DMT experiences, as previous experiences with DMT have been positive and helpful. (44m51s)
• DMT can be consumed in various forms, such as smoking, vaping, or drinking through the Ayahuasca brew, with each method offering different physical experiences. (45m14s)
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What Graham Learned About the Mayans (46m56s)

• The Mayan civilization is considered an extraordinary ancient civilization with potentially more ancient origins than commonly acknowledged. Its origins can be traced back through the people known as the Alch. (46m57s)
• The Mayans demonstrated incredible sophistication in mathematics and astronomy, using enormous numbers and recording dates on stelae that go back 30 million years. (47m16s)
• The Mayan civilization was primarily located in the Yucatan Peninsula and extended into Guatemala. A significant Mayan site, Pelen, dates back to the 8th or 9th century AD and features pyramids and an astronomical observation tower. (47m31s)
• Some archaeologists are open to discussing and exploring Mayan culture, including its calendar, astronomy, and mathematics. Ed Barard, an expert in Mayan glyphs, provided insights into these aspects. (48m33s)
• A recurring theme in various ancient cultures, including the Mayans, is the belief in a journey of the soul after death, often referred to as the "path of Souls," which involves a leap to the Milky Way. This concept is found in cultures across the Americas, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Ancient India. (49m4s)
• The idea of the soul's journey involves a judgment scene where the deceased confronts errors and good deeds, represented by monstrous beings and locked gates. This widespread belief suggests a possible ancient spiritual system passed down and reinterpreted globally. (49m59s)
• The precession of the equinoxes is a phenomenon where the position of the stars and constellations appears to shift over time due to the Earth's wobble on its axis, with the North Pole star changing over a cycle of 25,920 years (51m2s).
• This cycle unfolds at a rate of one degree every 72 years, making it difficult to track within a human lifetime, and requires long-term observation, record-keeping, and the passing of information from generation to generation (52m43s).
• Ancient cultures recognized and observed this phenomenon, using it to define the character of an age, with the constellation on the horizon at the spring equinox seen as housing the sun (51m41s).
• The precession of the equinoxes changes the pole star, with Polaris currently being the North Pole star, but having been Thuban, Draco, and other stars in the past (52m26s).
• The work of Giorgio de Santillana and Hertha von Dechend, professors of the history of science, is notable in recognizing the ancient understanding of precession, as outlined in their book "Hamlet's Mill" (53m30s).
• De Santillana and von Dechend dismiss the notion that the Greeks discovered precession 2,000-2,300 years ago, instead tracing it back thousands of years to an ancient ancestor (54m3s).
• The availability and focus on specific numbers, such as the 25,920-year cycle, are significant in many cultures around the world, suggesting a shared understanding of this phenomenon (50m51s).
• The Anor Tom complex features 54 statues on either side of a bridge, each pulling on the body of a serpent, symbolizing the churning of the Milky Ocean to produce the Amrita, the elixir of immortality. This scene is also depicted in reliefs at Anor Wat. The number 108, derived from adding 54 to 54, is significant as it relates to the processional cycle, with 72 being a key number in this context. (54m19s)
• The number 72 and its multiples or additions, such as 108 and 43,200, are considered processional numbers and are respected in sacred traditions worldwide. For example, the Rig Veda contains 432,000 syllables, reflecting this numerical system. (55m43s)
• The Mayans were deeply involved with equinoxes and processional numbers, but they also explored vast periods of time, including millions of years. They could calculate the phase of the moon for dates millions of years in the past, indicating a profound interest in deep history and numerology. (56m5s)
• The Mayan calendar and its associated mathematics are viewed as an out-of-place artifact, suggesting it may have been inherited from an earlier lost civilization. This system's complexity and precision seem disproportionate to the known needs of Mayan culture, implying it might have originated from a more advanced civilization. (56m54s)
• The Earth is believed to have formed 4.5 billion years ago, which is considered a scientific creation myth, with evidence suggesting that the Big Bang theory may have occurred, but it remains a speculation (58m14s).
• Creation myths and foundation myths about the nature of the universe are not limited to ancient hunter-forager peoples, but are also found in the scientific world today (58m55s).
• The focus on astronomy and numbers in ancient cultures may not be primarily functional, but rather symbolic and sacred, as most archaeologists argue that ancient peoples wanted to know when to plant and harvest crops, but a self-respecting farmer would already be aware of these times (59m10s).
• Ancient devices, such as the one found at Chichen Itza in the Yucatan, were used to pinpoint specific astronomical events, like the Spring Equinox, and were often incorporated into the design of pyramids and other structures (1h0m14s).
• The Pyramid of Kukulkan at Chichen Itza has a northern stairway that casts a shadow of a serpent on the balustrade during the Spring Equinox, which is believed to be a symbolic and sacred effect rather than a purely functional one (1h0m49s).
• The alignment of the pyramid to create this effect is thought to be a way of paying homage to the memory of the Feathered Serpent, a figure associated with Kukulkan (1h1m18s).

The Psychology of Ancient Humans (1h1m43s)

• The Hermetic tradition, an ancient system developed in Egypt, emphasizes the importance of replicating the perfection and beauty of the heavens on Earth, as stated in the phrase "As Above So Below," which signifies the need to maintain harmony with the universe (1h2m41s).
• This concept is reflected in the construction of the Giza pyramids, which replicate the three stars of the belt of the constellation Orion, but the perfect match is found in 10,500 BC, not 2500 BC, due to the procession of the Earth's orbit (1h3m51s).
• The Giza complex is believed to memorialize a date 12 and a half thousand years ago, but it is not necessarily the date of its construction, similar to how Western cathedrals may memorialize events from the time of Abraham without being built during that time (1h4m13s).
• The Great Sphinx is thought to date back 12 and a half thousand years, and the Giza complex is considered to have been developed and refined over a very long period (1h4m26s).
• The site of Giza is significant due to its location at 30° north latitude, one-third of the way between the Equator and the North Pole, and its position as the center of the largest area of exposed land on Earth (1h5m27s).
• The Giza plateau is also considered one of the "navels of the earth" and may have been the ancient prime meridian, similar to how the prime meridian passes through Greenwich today (1h4m48s).
• The construction of the pyramids, particularly the Great Pyramid, is notable for its precise orientation to true astronomical North, South, East, and West, weighing 6 million tons (1h5m50s).
• The Great Pyramid's height, when multiplied by 43,200, equals the polar radius of the Earth, and its base perimeter, when multiplied by 43,200, equals the equatorial circumference of the Earth (1h6m26s).
• The Great Pyramid is aligned with the Earth's cardinal directions and models the Earth on a scale defined by a motion of the Earth itself, reflecting the idea "as above, so below" (1h7m1s).
• This alignment is thought to be a deliberate attempt to lock humanity into the cosmos and make people realize they are part of something larger than themselves (1h7m20s).
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• A personal anecdote describes a lightning storm in South Florida, which leads to a reflection on how prehistoric humans might have perceived such natural events as signs of divine displeasure (1h8m34s).
• The idea is presented that prehistoric humans might have believed they were being punished by the gods for their actions, highlighting the potential for natural events to shape human beliefs and behaviors (1h9m25s).
• Prehistoric humans used storytelling to pass down information and make sense of the world around them, often personifying natural events and creating narratives about gods and goddesses, which helped to explain phenomena they didn't understand (1h9m42s).
• The relationship between prehistoric humans and their environment was deeply rooted in storytelling, with many stories revolving around gods and goddesses engaging in battles that resembled natural disasters (1h10m0s).
• Recent natural disasters, such as hurricanes in Florida, can be seen as rare but not unheard of events, with some occurring as infrequently as once every thousand years (1h10m16s).
• It's possible that prehistoric tribes who witnessed such events would have been deeply affected and would have recorded them in their stories and myths (1h10m27s).
• The idea that prehistoric tribes may have witnessed a global cataclysmic event is supported by the existence of over 200 myths from around the world that describe a global flood that destroyed a prehistoric civilization (1h10m58s).
• These myths often combine different effects, including bolts of fire from the sky, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and floods, which suggests that they may be describing a real event that had a profound impact on human societies (1h11m12s).
• The Younger Dryas epoch, which occurred between 12,800 and 11,600 years ago, is of particular interest in this context, as it may have been a time of significant global upheaval and catastrophe (1h11m32s).
• The Younger Dryas epoch is the inspiration for the title "Ancient Apocalypse," which suggests that a global cataclysmic event may have occurred during this time period (1h11m42s).

How Dreadful Was the Younger Dryas? (1h11m45s)

• The Younger Dryas was a period of unusual climate that occurred at the end of the last Ice Age, named after a species of Alpine flower that flourishes in extremely cold weather (1h11m46s).
• The Earth was emerging from the Ice Age around 12,800 years ago, but then suddenly experienced a plunge in global temperature, resulting in a sudden sea level rise and a return to cold temperatures similar to the peak of the last Ice Age (1h12m4s).
• This event occurred suddenly and globally, with more severe effects in Northern and deep Southern latitudes, and led to the extinction of large Ice Age megafauna such as saber-tooth tigers, mastodons, and mammoths (1h12m44s).
• The extinction of these megafauna occurred during the same time period as the Younger Dryas event (1h12m56s).
• Ben Lamm, from Colossal, is working on a project to bring back woolly mammoths by using AI to splice in gaps in frozen genetic material from Asian elephants, which are the closest genetic relatives (1h14m11s).
• The goal of bringing back woolly mammoths is to use them to compact down snow and reflect back more sun in higher latitudes, potentially helping to combat modern global warming (1h13m42s).
• Ben Lamm is also considering bringing back the dodo bird, not for its practical use, but as a public relations tool to highlight the effort required to bring back a species that was driven to extinction due to environmental destruction (1h14m40s).
• The dodo bird project aims to raise awareness about the importance of preserving habitats and preventing extinctions (1h15m0s).
• The Younger Dryas event, occurring 12,800 years ago, is considered an extinction-level event that led to the extinction of many large Ice Age animals and marked the beginning of the Holocene, the current geological epoch. (1h17m22s)
• The Younger Dryas impact hypothesis suggests that Earth passed through the debris stream of a disintegrating comet, which caused significant environmental changes. (1h18m15s)
• This hypothesis is supported by over 60 scientists who are following evidence that suggests the comet's debris impacted Earth, similar to how the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet broke into fragments before hitting Jupiter. (1h17m55s)
• Meteor showers, which occur when Earth passes through debris streams of disintegrated comets, are cited as examples of how comets break into multiple fragments. (1h18m43s)
• The Torrid meteor stream is mentioned as a specific example of a debris stream from a disintegrated comet. (1h19m8s)
• The Taurid meteor stream contains both large and smaller objects, with smaller ones being around 100 to 200 meters in diameter. (1h19m18s)
• The Comet Research Group supports the Younger Dryas impact hypothesis, suggesting that 12,800 years ago, Earth encountered a swarm of cometary debris, leading to significant environmental changes. (1h19m37s)
• This event is believed to have caused the sudden melting of the North American ice cap, resulting in massive floods and rising sea levels, despite global temperatures dropping at the time. (1h19m52s)
• The hypothesis posits that large objects impacted the North American and northern European ice caps, while numerous airbursts of smaller objects occurred, similar to the Tunguska event in 1908. (1h20m14s)
• The Tunguska event, likely caused by a comet from the Taurid meteor stream, resulted in a massive airburst that flattened 2,000 square miles of Siberian forest without leaving a crater. (1h20m43s)
• The Younger Dryas impact event involved airbursts across a vast area, from North America to Syria, and from Antarctica to Belgium, explaining the lack of massive craters. (1h21m43s)
• Evidence of these airbursts includes the destruction of Abu Hureyra in Syria, which was completely flattened 12,800 years ago, leaving traces like iridium, nanodiamonds, shocked quartz, and melt glass. (1h22m11s)
• A massive airburst event, roughly the size of the Tunguska event, occurred over an ancient settlement, causing significant damage and climate disruption (1h23m5s).
• The event led to a massive flood of icy meltwater from the North American and European ice caps into the world ocean, stopping the Gulf Stream and causing a sudden cooling of the climate (1h25m7s).
• The North American ice cap at the time was over a mile deep, stretching from Northern Canada to Montana, and a kilometer-wide object hitting it would not have left a crater under the ground, but rather in the ice (1h24m42s).
• The meltwater released from the ice cap flooded into the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, causing a significant disruption to the global climate (1h25m10s).
• The established explanation for the sudden cooling of the climate at the beginning of the Younger Dryas period is that a flood of meltwater into the world ocean cut off the global meridional overturning circulation, of which the Gulf Stream is a part (1h25m42s).
• However, this explanation does not address why the icy water got into the world ocean in the first place, which is what the Younger Dryas impact hypothesis attempts to explain (1h26m1s).
• An alternative hypothesis suggests that glacial lakes, such as Glacial Lake Missoula and Glacial Lake Agassiz, formed in North America and were bounded by ice dams that would periodically break, releasing water into the lake and causing floods (1h26m21s).
• The Younger Dryas impact hypothesis provides an alternative explanation for the sudden cooling of the climate, suggesting that a large object hitting the ice cap caused the meltwater flood (1h26m2s).
• There is an attempt to explain a significant event with around 80 flooding events occurring over a couple of thousand years or more, but the evidence suggests a single major flooding event (1h26m39s).
• This sudden drop in climate is linked to a specific date, approximately 12,800 years ago (1h26m53s).
• Easter Island is mentioned as a place of interest (1h26m58s).

The Mystery of Easter Island (1h26m59s)

• Easter Island is a remote and mysterious location, situated 2,000 miles from the coast of Peru and Tahiti, and is known for its human habitation, which is generally believed by archaeologists to have begun around 700 AD to 1,400 years ago, coinciding with the end of the Polynesian expansion. (1h27m2s)
• The indigenous inhabitants of Easter Island are of Polynesian descent, and there is a possibility of an older prehistory on the island that is not widely accepted but is beginning to be explored. (1h28m15s)
• Archaeologist Sonia Hoa and her team discovered banana phytoliths in the Roca crater on Easter Island, dating back 3,000 years, which suggests human presence on the island much earlier than previously thought, as bananas could only have been brought there by humans. (1h28m41s)
• Easter Island traditions include a memory of a flooded homeland called Hea, destroyed in a global catastrophe, with survivors reaching Easter Island. This story does not align with the period of the Polynesian expansion, as significant sea level rises that could submerge an island occurred at the end of the Ice Age. (1h29m39s)
• There is a suggestion of a mysterious lost history on Easter Island, and evidence is presented that the iconic Moai statues are not from the last 700 or 800 years, indicating a potentially older origin. (1h30m42s)
• The moai statues on Easter Island are believed to be much older than their currently accepted age, with sedimentation covering many of them up, making it difficult to date them accurately (1h31m7s).
• Excavations by Thor Heyerdahl in the 1980s revealed that the statues go down 30 feet under the ground, and they were not deliberately buried, but rather covered by sedimentation (1h31m19s).
• The sedimentation suggests that the statues may be much older, with Professor Robert Schoch estimating that they could be vastly older than what archaeologists have told us, based on the sedimentation (1h32m18s).
• According to an elder on Easter Island, Leo Pakati, the moai statues contain magic, Mana, a force, and a power that can affect crops and make things right between humanity and the universe (1h32m51s).
• The statues are believed to be images of ancestors who were of particular importance, and they are thought to be imbued with the power of powerful deceased individuals, acting as protectors for Easter Island (1h33m11s).
• There are different-sized ears on the statues, with long ears and short ears, which may represent the two original races (1h33m20s).
• One particular array of moai, with seven statues in a row, is thought to memorialize the seven wise men who fled to Easter Island from the destruction by flood of the land of Hiva (1h33m48s).
• The notion of seven survivors of a cataclysm is widespread, with similar stories found in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and other cultures (1h34m24s).
• There are similarities between the Easter Island statues and other statues around the world, such as the upright T-shaped megaliths at Göbekli Tepe, which have carved arms and hands in a similar posture (1h34m52s).
• The megaliths in Enclosure D are estimated to be at least 11,600 years old, but precise dating for the Easter Island statues is not yet available due to a lack of investigation. (1h35m13s)
• Luminescence dating is a method used to determine when a rocky object was last exposed to light, but it does not indicate when the object was made. (1h35m42s)
• Carbon dating is applicable only to organic materials, and archaeologists often rely on finding organic material trapped under megaliths to estimate their age. This method provides a guideline rather than an exact date. (1h36m13s)
• Malta is known for its massive megalithic culture, including the Gigantia temple on the island of Gozo, which was once considered the oldest megalithic site in the world, estimated to be about 6,000 years old. (1h37m19s)
• The dating of the Gigantia temple is based on contextual dating rather than carbon dating, and recent carbon dating was conducted on material found 40 meters away from the temple, which is not reliable for dating the temple itself. (1h37m41s)
• There is a possibility that the Maltese temples could be as old as Göbekli Tepe, but the dating problem remains a significant issue. (1h38m25s)
• There is very little reliable dating available on Malta (1h38m41s)
• The discussion shifts focus back to America (1h38m43s)

Why Graham Couldn’t Film More in North America (1h38m44s)

• Chaco Canyon in North America is a significant archaeological site associated with the Ancestral Pueblo people, known for its astronomically aligned complex of buildings and semi-subterranean circular structures. These structures share similarities with those at Göbekli Tepe, including a common T-shaped motif. The largest building at Chaco Canyon has over 400 rooms, many of which are sealed off, indicating it was not meant for large populations but possibly for pilgrimage purposes. The site is aligned with solstices and equinoxes, showcasing the advanced astronomical knowledge of its builders. (1h38m46s)
• Filming took place at White Sands in New Mexico, where 23,000-year-old footprints were discovered. An indigenous expert, Kim Charlie, who was involved in the discovery, provided insights into the cultural significance of these footprints. (1h40m40s)
• Access to certain archaeological sites, such as Serpent Mound in Ohio, was denied due to disagreements with the presenter's ideas. Despite this, some filming was conducted from neighboring land. The Serpent Mound episode in the series suggests that its alignment with the summer solstice sunset is slightly off due to the Earth's axial tilt, known as the obliquity of the ecliptic, rather than precession. (1h41m9s)
• Filming permission was denied at several significant archaeological sites in North America, such as Cahokia in Illinois and Moundville in Alabama, due to the presenter's involvement in the series. (1h42m33s)
• The Society for American Archaeology (SAA) attempted to have the series reclassified as science fiction rather than a documentary, arguing that it contained untrue information. This effort was seen as an attempt to reduce viewership by misrepresenting the series' nature. (1h43m21s)
• Netflix did not comply with the SAA's request to reclassify the series, maintaining its status as a documentary, which includes expert opinions from various individuals. (1h44m25s)
• The series is presented as a potential real-world story, which adds to its compelling nature, rather than being a whimsical or fictional narrative. (1h44m41s)
• Some archaeologists, such as John Hoops from the University of Kansas and Flint Dibble, were involved in the SAA's open letter and are perceived to have media aspirations, possibly motivated by jealousy over the series' exposure. (1h44m55s)
• Criticism is directed at these archaeologists for focusing on attacking others' work rather than contributing to archaeological knowledge, with claims that their work has little lasting significance. (1h45m31s)
• The debate surrounding alternative ideas about America's ancient past is contentious, with some people being resistant to new ideas, especially if they are framed as assaults upon archaeology (1h46m7s).

Reflecting on the Debate With Flint Dibble (1h46m10s)

• A debate between Graham Hancock and Flint Dibble was analyzed, and the findings were shared in a video that compares Dibble's statements with facts, highlighting the tactics used in the debate (1h46m10s).
• Graham Hancock acknowledges that Flint Dibble is a better debater and was better prepared, but some of the tactics used were questionable and are addressed in the video (1h47m0s).
• The video can be found on Graham Hancock's YouTube channel, and he plans to follow it up with a talk in Sedona on April 19th and 20th, titled "The Fight for the Past" (1h47m16s).
• Graham Hancock initially felt beaten down after the debate, but as time passed and people became aware of Dibble's tactics, he realized that not winning the debate outright was a good thing as it showed the true face of archaeology (1h47m55s).
• The debate revealed an archaeology that seeks to crush and destroy alternative views of the past, and Graham Hancock is glad that the public got to see this side of archaeology (1h48m50s).
• Graham Hancock has been criticized heavily for a long time, but his first book about a historical mystery, "The Sign and the Seal," was well-received, and it wasn't until later that he faced significant criticism (1h49m14s).
• Graham Hancock's books about current affairs issues did not receive much criticism, but his books about historical mysteries have been met with more criticism (1h49m42s).
• The Ark of the Covenant is claimed by Ethiopians to be in their country, and it is described in the book of Exodus as an object carried on gold and wood poles with the tablets of the Ten Commandments inside (1h49m59s).
• A book about the Ark of the Covenant only reached number six on the bestseller list, but the book "Fingerprints of the Gods" reached number one on the bestseller list in several countries, including the UK, Italy, and Japan, and became a worldwide phenomenon (1h50m32s).
• The success of "Fingerprints of the Gods" attracted the attention of archaeologists who were annoyed that the public was listening to alternative viewpoints, leading to attacks and criticism from archaeologists and their supporters (1h50m42s).
• These attacks grew increasingly furious and unpleasant during the 1990s, prompting a defensive response and a sense of needing to defend against these criticisms (1h51m2s).
• A BBC Horizon program was produced to attack the work, but it contained serious errors and was later re-edited and reissued, highlighting the problem of an attitude within archaeology that disrespects the intelligence of the general public (1h51m32s).
• This attitude is seen as fundamentally disrespectful towards the public's ability to make up their own minds and explore alternative points of view, and it is argued that there should be an open market in ideas (1h52m7s).
• The tendency of a small faction of archaeologists to present themselves as speaking for the rest and to try to control the narrative is strongly rejected, and it is argued that the public is intelligent enough to make up its own mind about which ideas to support (1h52m42s).
• The experience of being attacked and criticized has been frustrating, and it has been tempting to focus on defending against these criticisms rather than focusing on the work itself (1h53m0s).
• There is a sense of wistfulness about the amount of time spent on this back-and-forth, and a desire to focus on the work rather than responding to criticisms and accusations (1h53m25s).
• The topic of America's ancient apocalypse has been a long-standing interest, with both archaeologists and others continuously debating and debunking mainstream theories, a process now referred to as "dunking" (1h53m38s).
• A YouTube channel called "The Dunning" by Dan Richards, as well as another channel by "Independent Scholar," have done notable work in this area, providing alternative perspectives and challenging established narratives (1h54m0s).
• The author's own work, including the book "Underworld" published in 2002, was written defensively due to anticipated criticism, resulting in a heavily footnoted but dense read (1h54m36s).
• The author no longer feels the need to write defensively but still strives to document and provide sources for every statement to avoid misrepresentation and criticism (1h55m7s).
• The author is aware of being surrounded by hostile individuals seeking to find errors in their work and magnify them into conspiracies, as seen in the SAA's open letter to Netflix, which prompted a detailed rebuttal (1h55m18s).
• The rebuttal to the SAA's open letter took a month to research and document, and is available on the author's website, demonstrating the time and effort invested in addressing criticisms (1h55m32s).
• The author questions why archaeology cannot be more kind and generous, suggesting that archaeologists are not scientists but rather individuals who desperately want to be seen as scientists (1h56m4s).
• The author believes that archaeologists should not have the power to shut people down with their authority and that questioning established theories should not be seen as a radicalization pipeline (1h56m27s).
• The author was amused by being called the "most dangerous show on Netflix" and does not understand why their work should be seen as a threat, highlighting the controversy surrounding alternative perspectives in archaeology (1h57m1s).
• The idea of pseudoarchaeology being a pipeline to danger suggests that thinking for oneself about the past might lead to questioning other established facts, such as climate change, and this is seen as a threat to the status quo (1h57m26s).
• The notion that the public should not be provided with information to make choices between different points of view is undemocratic, and instead, people should be trusted to make up their own minds based on available information (1h57m54s).
• Stonehenge, a site in the UK, has recently revealed that its central rocks traveled hundreds of miles from Scotland, with some parts of the site dating back over 10,000 years (1h58m28s).
• The blue stones at Stonehenge, which are smaller, were brought from Wales, over 100 miles away, and seem to have been cut out of a template in the Preseli mountains (1h59m2s).
• The construction of Stonehenge involved a large-scale effort across hundreds of miles, but the purpose and meaning behind it are unknown due to a lack of surviving documents from that period (1h59m29s).
• Stonehenge, like other ancient sites such as Serpent Mound and the Great Sphinx, is oriented at a key moment in the solar year, with Stonehenge aligned with the summer solstice sunrise (1h59m40s).
• The similarities between ancient sites in Britain and America suggest that both may have received a legacy from an older and lost civilization, rather than one influencing the other (2h0m13s).

What Will Graham Focus on Next? (2h0m19s)

• There are no plans to conduct work in Antarctica due to the lack of a clear objective and the need for significant resources, including a billionaire backer and advanced equipment (2h0m21s).
• The focus for the next year will be on Ancient Egypt, a subject that has been neglected for a while, but recent reconciliation with leading Egyptologist Zahi Hawass has opened up new opportunities for collaboration (2h0m49s).
• A new friendship with Zahi Hawass has been established, and past conflicts have been put aside, allowing for a potential long-term working relationship that combines mainstream and alternative perspectives on Ancient Egypt (2h1m1s).
• The goal is to spend more time in Egypt, which is considered the heart of the mystery, and where all the stories will ultimately come out (2h1m55s).
• A proposal has been made to record a podcast at sunrise in front of the Pyramids of Giza, but this would require obtaining a license from the Egyptian government and overcoming technical challenges (2h2m14s).
• An alternative location for the podcast has been suggested, which would involve recording between the Sphinx and the second pyramid, looking directly at the Gaze of the Sphinx as the sun rises over the horizon on the Spring Equinox (2h2m42s).

Where to Find Graham (2h3m10s)

• The new series, Ancient Apocalypse Season 2, will be released on Netflix on October 16, 2024, and will be available to anyone with a Netflix subscription worldwide (2h3m32s).
• The series will remain available on Netflix for a long period of time, allowing people to view it even a year or two after its initial release (2h3m55s).
• To keep up to date with Graham Hancock's work, his website, grahamhancock.com, is the primary focus (2h4m6s).
• Graham Hancock also has a substantial Facebook page, which can be found by looking up "author Graham Hancock", and a Twitter account (2h4m18s).
• Links to Graham Hancock's social media accounts may be included in the video description (2h4m24s).