Mainstream Conspiracies

Ancient Apocalypse and How to Spot a Pseudoscientist

Tips on sniffing out sensationalist nonsense in our heavily saturated mediascape

Revisiting our ancient past is heavy in the Zeitgeist. We’ve recently seen considerable media focus on questions like the construction of ancient megalithic structures, the prominence of pyramidal megaliths in ancient civilizations around the world, and generally our ancestors’ high degree of precision and craftsmanship. The culmination of this cultural phenomenon is the series Ancient Apocalypse, presented by journalist Graham Hancock, which has become a top-rated show on Netflix.

The series wants us to pick a side.

In the left corner, the establishment archeologists with their long-held theories, limited reach and slow-moving methodology. In the right corner, hyper-informed amateurs with best-selling books and hit YouTube channels, bombarding the internet with circumstantial evidence and sensational theories.

To be clear from the outset, I’m a simple spectator of this deathmatch. I don’t have any expertise in archeology, geology, engineering, ancient history, and so on. In other words, I’m the target audience for both of these groups: A gullible, ill-informed…