Tonight is a real treat when it comes to Ancient Aliens. Instead of recycling from an earlier episode of the show, tonight they are recycling from an episode of their spinoff series, In Search of Aliens. Granted, they’ve already reused this material in an Ancient Aliens episode from 2014, which in turn built on other similar claims from another 2014 episode. So when S11E06 “Decoding the Cosmic Egg” tries for something new, it’s really just recycling material it’s already covered before, but with a few extra eggs thrown in for good measure. Segment 1 Eggs are rather a common symbol because eggs are found all over the Earth, and ancient people were not unobservant and quickly realized that the egg gives rise to life. Thus, it is a symbol of new life. Why one would expect aliens to be hatching from eggs, I cannot imagine, but the ancient astronaut theorists cannot fathom why people around the world would all take notice of eggs. I am reminded of one of my favorite cartoon series, Count Duckula, in which the vegetarian vampire duck hero had a villain called The Egg, who was, yes, an egg who was plotting to take over the world. One might also recall the 1966-1968 Batman series villain Egghead, played by Vincent Price. Clearly these are “undeniable evidence that this was not simply a representation of fertility,” as the narrator says of eggs. Symbolism is not a comfortable subject for ancient astronaut theorists, so they are a bit confused as to why ancient cosmogonies would imagine the creation of the universe as the hatching of a cosmic egg. Recycling material from 2014, the show alleges that the symbol of the cracking egg is really prehistoric knowledge of the Big Bang theory, and thus secret knowledge from aliens. The trouble is that global creation myths are wildly varied. Some mention eggs, and some don’t. David Childress, for example, mentions the “Sanskrit texts” as referring to the Cosmic Egg as the Big Bang. But this isn’t the case, not always. Here is the Rigveda hymn 129, on the creation: 1. Then was not non-existent nor existent: there was no realm of air, no sky beyond it. I wouldn’t exactly call it a scientific description of the Big Bang. Worse, the image they show of what they claim is a cosmic egg from ancient England is actually an illustration from mythologist Jacob Bryant depicting a Greek Orphic cosmic egg. It illustrates material from Aristophenes, in Birds 698f, also found in Proclus on the Timaeus and the Orphic Hymn to Protogonus, where the primeval egg is mentioned. Aristophenes’ parody version is the fullest: First was Chaos and Night, and black Erebus and vast Tartarus; Segment 2 The second segment recycles The Sirius Mystery, which William Henry only partially understands. The show alleges that eggs in the mythology of the Dogon people are flying saucers that brought aliens to Earth from the Sirius star system. Despite the Sirius Mystery being long debunked, the show assumes all of Robert Temple’s false claims and bad inferences are true. This allows the show to repeat old chestnuts about egg-shaped flying saucers from the heyday of ufology in the 1960s, in this case the 1964 Zamora sighting, which skeptics have dismissed as either a hoax or ball lightning or a mirage caused by the star Canopus. Segment 3 The third segment recycles material from In Search of Aliens about a stone egg in Portugal bearing a curvilinear pattern. (The show says it is from 3500 BCE, but published accounts put its age at 600 BCE, possibly of Phoenician origin or influence.) The segment recycles footage from S01E01 “The Hunt for Atlantis” without acknowledging the reuse of material. You are welcome to click the link to read my comments on the footage from the first time it aired. The show briefly asks whether Druid stones were truly magical but cannot sustain interest long enough to make a real claim. After this, the show proceeds to recycle material from a 2014 episode called “Treasures of the Gods” about the alien origin of the omphalos stone, an egg-shaped rock meant to represent the center of the world. This version of the segment is less specific than the earlier, but still hits the same fake claim that omphalos stones (of which many survive) were somehow technological devices that, in Childress’s words, “stimulated” the priestesses of Delphi. Segment 4 The fourth segment offers some DNA conspiracy theories from 2013, namely the idea that DNA is artificial and programed by aliens with a secret code. This is evidence, the ancient astronaut theorists say, for panspermia, or the idea that life was seeded by comets or meteors that brought organic compounds or even microorganisms to Earth. The show then recycles material from In Search of Aliens S01E01 and S01E10, where the show declared the symbol on the Portuguese stone egg to be the DNA double helix, despite looking nothing like a DNA double helix, which, just for starters, does not have a straight staff line running through it. The same applies to the Mesopotamian art they show, none of which shows a true double helix, or “DNA spiral” as Erich von Däniken calls it. David Childress says that not only is the double helix represented by serpents but that serpents also represent “our sperm.” William Henry finds one Renaissance painting in which Gabriel is given the attributes of Mercury, including the caduceus, during the Annunciation, and on that basis declares the caduceus an attribute of Gabriel (it wasn’t) and proof that he was genetically engineering Jesus. In reality, Gabriel is typically seen holding a lily, symbolizing the purity of the Virgin and the spring timing of the event. The image the show uses, one version of Bartholomäus Bryun the Elder’s The Annunciation (c. 1520), uses the caduceus because it contains material influenced Hermetic mysticism, or so Joseph Campbell claimed. Segment 5 The fifth segment talks about the Third Eye, but even this show doesn’t claim that humans have a literal third eye on our foreheads. Instead, it claims that third eye is the egg-shaped thalamus within the brain, which, following a popular Facebook meme, they declare to be the all-seeing eye of Horus because they think that the thalamus in cross-section looks like an eye with Egyptian eye makeup. The claim dates back at least to 2008, where it appeared in a novel and on internet chat boards for lovers of all things alien. It may be older, but I can’t immediately find earlier references. It is a variant of the much more common claim (equally false) that the Eye of Horus represents the pineal gland, a claim at least two decades older. Segment 6
The sixth segment claims that auras (“pram,” “chi,” etc.) are shaped like eggs. The show attempts to relate this pseudoscience to the holographic universe hypothesis. David Wilcock falsely claims that it is “mathematically proven” that we are living in a hologram projected from a central egg. It is a hypothesis, but it isn’t proven, mathematically or otherwise. A 2006 suggestion that the universe is egg shaped leads the various talking heads to declare ancient people correct in using the egg as a symbol of “a higher state of existence.” Jason Martell says that the universe, auras, and the thalamus are all connected through eggs, and Henry says that such connections prove that all the universe is “connected” and “will one day reunify.” In other words, Ancient Aliens is creating its own version of the Orphic creation myth and is passing it off as science. Weirdly, this does not require aliens at all, since the universe’s shape needs no ETs to hold it up, rendering this episode another waste of time.
30 Comments
Only Me
6/17/2016 10:38:56 pm
So, according to this hooey, when I eat a hard-boiled egg, I'm a bigger, badder version of Galactus. Symbolic consumption of the universe. Cool.
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Clint Knapp
6/17/2016 11:55:30 pm
Clearly, the symbolism there lies in calling human meat "long pig", and perhaps backed up by the symbolism of Animal Farm's pigs-turned-human-like. Therefore, when you eat bacon you symbolically consume human beings in an attempt to honor the cannibal Nephilim giant masters and seek to elevate yourself to the level of their hybrid alien souls.
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Only Me
6/18/2016 12:19:44 am
Clint! Snap out of it, buddy!
keralto
6/18/2016 12:12:36 am
About egg... Do you remember Mork's ship from Mork & Mindy?
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Mick Youther
6/18/2016 08:53:04 pm
I'm surprised they didn't include that.
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Ph
6/18/2016 07:07:07 am
So what was earlier, the cosmos or the cosmic egg?
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MattD
6/18/2016 07:15:35 am
English subtitles for Ancient Aliens S11E06
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christy
6/18/2016 08:37:24 am
I think, their hypothesis makes sense base on the research that has been done. I watched the show and I was amazed how they connected all these facts and myths into one believable documentary. Don't sweat on it, their research are just tools to understand the humanity and other cultural tradition of many places. The show concluded that we might find out more in the future,
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Jean Stone
6/18/2016 09:54:14 pm
If you found the episode believable, I have some beachfront property on Mars I'd like to sell you.
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David Childress' Neckfat
6/20/2016 01:21:36 pm
Exactly, Christy. You are obviously very perceptive! Not only do we open the door to the possibility to the fact that all cultures are mindlessly regurgitating Alien knowledge with every supposed human endeavour occurring with an Alien behind it, but you don't need to worry about proof, because we'll find that down the road when our Alien masters return. Until then, keep watching and buying!
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Ken
6/18/2016 10:04:50 am
Wilcock's dissertation about the holographic universe at the 1:00 hr. mark was the most unintelligible, nonsensical string of buzzwords I have ever heard. Usually the commentators have stupid shit to say, but at least you understand what they are saying. This was just gobbledygook.
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Scott Hamilton
6/18/2016 12:38:48 pm
I doubt Lonnie Zamora saw an alien spacecraft, but "mirage caused by the constellation Canopus" (one quick correction, Canopus is a star) is the kind of non-explanation that makes skeptics look really, really bad. There's really no way a star, no matter how unexpectedly bright, could account for someone seeing a egg-shaped craft on the ground with people walking around it, then taking off with a loud sound.
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6/18/2016 12:54:43 pm
Correction duly noted. I get sleepy by 10 PM and make mistakes! I also linked to the article claiming a mirage of Canopus caused the incident.
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V
6/21/2016 07:18:28 pm
You're absolutely right--Canopus as an explanation is fairly dubious, especially since a much, much closer star was still in the sky at the time. Otherwise known as the Sun. In combination with green sunglasses over prescription lenses, it wouldn't be hard at all to see a mirage of something like an orb--or egg--with flickering that looked like motion. He confessed that he saw it for 20 seconds or less. The rest of the purported detail could easily be attributable to the mind's ability and even inclination to make shit up and think it's real. Dunno where the sound came from but ask a foley artist if they need a fire to make it sound like a fire. ~.^
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Time Machine
6/18/2016 12:44:57 pm
The Bible should be subjected to the same critical research as Graham Hancock otherwise it's all sectarianism between the Bible Believers and the Pseudo Historians
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Time Machine
6/18/2016 12:45:33 pm
The Bible should be subjected to the same critical research as Graham Hancock otherwise it's all sectarianism between the Bible Believers and the Pseudo Historians - got it?
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Shane Sullivan
6/18/2016 01:19:14 pm
"Worse, the image they show of what they claim is a cosmic egg from ancient England is actually an illustration from mythologist Jacob Bryant depicting a Greek Orphic cosmic egg."
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crainey
6/18/2016 02:00:53 pm
I am the egg man. They are the egg men. Goo goo a joo.
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Gerard de Nerval
6/18/2016 02:01:06 pm
Brother," said Yousouf," you seem weary; doubtless you have come a long way. Will you take some refreshment?"
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Mick
6/18/2016 08:57:56 pm
Jason,
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justanotherskeptic
6/19/2016 07:03:30 pm
Really. The star Canopus as an explanation of the Lonnie Zamora experience? When the story first came out when I was but a teen in the 1960's I felt and still do to a degree this incident had a ring of truth to it.
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Wiz Kid
6/19/2016 08:36:37 pm
So, the universe hatched out of an egg, thus god is a chicken!
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Assonaut Exaterressial
6/19/2016 11:21:53 pm
A mirage caused by Cannabis Now that I can believe. I mean I saw Cheech and Chong get picked up by a flying saucer in the mighty name of Cannabis.
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Wiz Kid
6/20/2016 03:53:17 pm
Since the universe hatched from an egg and god is a chicken then Colonel Sanders is the Devil! And he's running for president! The anti-chicken has risen! The end is near! Repent foul sinners!
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Mick
6/20/2016 04:29:39 pm
Shouldn't that be "Repent fowl sinners!"?
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Wiz Kid
6/20/2016 05:39:46 pm
Repent FOWL sinners!
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Egg Plant
6/20/2016 05:55:32 pm
Ancient Alien Theorists believe that future humans will spend all of their time inside of eggs with a 360 degree virtualized world projected on the inner shell. This allows mankind to remain in a fetal position which is comforting and nurturing. The eggs will contain umbilical cords which allow nutrients to flow in and waste to flow out although individuals will not be aware of these cords. Ultimately humans will dissolve leaving only their soul inside of these eggs. The eggs are collected and taken to the dark side of the moon where AATs have seen alien cities. The purified human egg will be allowed to live in these cities outside of their egg as beings or energy. Jesus will give each hatched being their own rainbow coat of pure light that will allow them to pass through all the gates into heaven avoiding the watchers and not being required to reincarnate. Once in heaven all the light beings will reunite with the cosmic light and lose all ego and self-awareness and become part of the great cosmic consciousness, their memories becoming part of the Akashic records. Those beings that fail the transformation will be sent back to earth and forced to spend most of their time on the internet or watching television accumulating wildly inane and implausible ideas that will hamper their passage once again through the next life. Once enough souls have been locked into the cycle of media saturation there will be a great war between heaven and earth. The beings trapped on earth will lose, because they will not have been told by their government or the media about the war. Their souls will be shot into the sun where they will spend the rest of their time until the sun dies. Ultimately after many billions of years they will be pulled into the black hole at the center of our universe and reemerge on the other side outside of the simulated construct of this universe. They will realize they are late for school and forget to bring lunch and will then have to have hot lunch which will be tater tots and those dry hamburgers that taste more like stale bread than meat.
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Wiz Kid
6/20/2016 07:02:26 pm
And then I remove the Oculus, realize it's been five minutes and move to the next alien science fair project to judge it in comparison.
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Wiz Kid
6/20/2016 07:04:58 pm
How will we know when Ancient Aliens jumps the shark?
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9/24/2016 05:37:12 pm
"If the egg's shell does not break... the chick will die without being born. We are the chick; the egg is the world. If the world's shell does not break, we will die without being born. Break the world's shell! For the sake of revolutionizing the world!" - Touga
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AuthorI am an author and researcher focusing on pop culture, science, and history. Bylines: New Republic, Esquire, Slate, etc. There's more about me in the About Jason tab. Newsletters
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