The Silurian Hypothesis

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Throughout the centuries, a number of thought-provoking hypotheses have been put forth asserting that humanity has experienced several "golden epochs" of technological development in distant antiquity. According to many ancient texts and oral traditions, these cycles of human enlightenment and industrial prowess always managed to upend the very civilization they were supposed to uphold. Be it by unknown causes attributed to technology itself, the unrelenting forces of nature, or by the ever-present human hubris, the epitome of applied science appears to go hand in hand with the downfall of mankind.

Provided these hypotheses are correct, the world as we know it has endured many cycles of technological apex which have culminated in cataclysmic collapses followed by prolonged periods of collective amnesia of what came before. Are remnants of these advanced pre-modern civilizations lying beneath our feet just waiting to be discovered? That is precisely what a team of astrobiologists are trying to unearth. Buried in the geological record, traces of organic polymers such as plastics and transuranic elements may provide hints of abrupt advances in science and technology in times past. The Silurian Hypothesis, as it is known, could end up re-writing the history of our world and may even shed some light on the strange unidentified objects we see in our skies. More at the link below.

The Silurian hypothesis: would it be possible to detect an industrial civilization in the geological record? | International Journal of Astrobiology | Cambridge Core

The Silurian hypothesis: would it be possible to detect an industrial civilization in the geological record? - Volume 18 Issue 2

www.cambridge.org

 

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