Graham Hancock
The Mars MysteryMars has always been a source of fascination, provocation and speculation within astronomical and scientific fields, but the scant information that has been made available from various observations and landings has only furthered, rather than solved any of the mystery. Here, the authors have examined all the evidence for life on Mars, but have then gone much further to also examine the reason for its destruction, and of more immediate importance to us, the warning that this information might provide for our own tenuous existence on Earth.
The pyramid and face-like structures of the Cydonia region of Mars are examined in much detail, presenting a number of interesting geometric coincidences between these and similar structures in both Egypt and Mexico. Many scientists using the latest photographic enhancement and analysis techniques have stated that no yet-revealed process of nature could have formed these geometrically aligned structures. The refusal of NASA to investigate the area (despite increasing pressure) has only added to the air of conspiracy, an enigma furthered by the Mars Observer mission which would have taken higher resolution images of the area had it not been suspiciously lost three days from orbit. As the authors state however, the matter will not be solved until man actually explores the area, as even the best photographic images will leave room for doubt on both sides.
That Mars provided a warm Earth-like atmosphere, a strong gravitational pull, and housed oceans, rivers and rain is beyond doubt. Also beyond doubt is that the planet was reduced to its present condition by impact from a barrage of cosmic debris, leaving thousands of surface craters up to diameters of 2000km. It appears that the impacts were so great that a 3km deep layer of crust was forced away from the opposite side of the planet. One theory the authors discussed here is that this may have happened as recently as 17,000 years ago, rather than the billions that conventional science presents.
The notion ties in with impact activity on earth, and the sudden end of the last ice age. For those who are familiar with Hancock's other work, notably the excellent Fingerprints Of The Gods (Arrow Books), it would also explain the sudden disappearance of a technically advanced society.
The examination of galactic cycles and their effect on our solar system is thorough, revealing how fragile we are on the cosmic scale. The 30-million-year undulations through the dense central plane of the galaxy bring us into contact with hazardous material from spiral arms (galactic comet factories) and giant molecular clouds. This is coincidentally the same timespan between each period of mass species extinction on earth, the last being 36.9 million years ago. Astronomers calculate that we have been in an impact zone for the last 20,000 years. In this time we have received many major bombardments. In 1908 a 70-metre-wide asteroid exploded above the Tungasta wilderness of Siberia. The blast was equivalent to 700 times that of Hiroshima, yet it was tiny by cosmic standards.
The conclusion of the authors is that we are under threat from tens of thousands of such objects that are presently on Earth-crossing orbits – with new discoveries being made daily. Unless time and money is invested in seeking out and monitoring such objects, we might soon share more common ground with our planetary cousin.
Compelling.
The pyramid and face-like structures of the Cydonia region of Mars are examined in much detail, presenting a number of interesting geometric coincidences between these and similar structures in both Egypt and Mexico. Many scientists using the latest photographic enhancement and analysis techniques have stated that no yet-revealed process of nature could have formed these geometrically aligned structures. The refusal of NASA to investigate the area (despite increasing pressure) has only added to the air of conspiracy, an enigma furthered by the Mars Observer mission which would have taken higher resolution images of the area had it not been suspiciously lost three days from orbit. As the authors state however, the matter will not be solved until man actually explores the area, as even the best photographic images will leave room for doubt on both sides.
That Mars provided a warm Earth-like atmosphere, a strong gravitational pull, and housed oceans, rivers and rain is beyond doubt. Also beyond doubt is that the planet was reduced to its present condition by impact from a barrage of cosmic debris, leaving thousands of surface craters up to diameters of 2000km. It appears that the impacts were so great that a 3km deep layer of crust was forced away from the opposite side of the planet. One theory the authors discussed here is that this may have happened as recently as 17,000 years ago, rather than the billions that conventional science presents.
The notion ties in with impact activity on earth, and the sudden end of the last ice age. For those who are familiar with Hancock's other work, notably the excellent Fingerprints Of The Gods (Arrow Books), it would also explain the sudden disappearance of a technically advanced society.
The examination of galactic cycles and their effect on our solar system is thorough, revealing how fragile we are on the cosmic scale. The 30-million-year undulations through the dense central plane of the galaxy bring us into contact with hazardous material from spiral arms (galactic comet factories) and giant molecular clouds. This is coincidentally the same timespan between each period of mass species extinction on earth, the last being 36.9 million years ago. Astronomers calculate that we have been in an impact zone for the last 20,000 years. In this time we have received many major bombardments. In 1908 a 70-metre-wide asteroid exploded above the Tungasta wilderness of Siberia. The blast was equivalent to 700 times that of Hiroshima, yet it was tiny by cosmic standards.
The conclusion of the authors is that we are under threat from tens of thousands of such objects that are presently on Earth-crossing orbits – with new discoveries being made daily. Unless time and money is invested in seeking out and monitoring such objects, we might soon share more common ground with our planetary cousin.
Compelling.
