With the release of the Netflix documentary series Ancient Apocalypse, we discuss the host and author Graham Hancock – who is he? Let’s dive in.
What is the Netflix series Ancient Apocalypse about?
The Netflix series Ancient Apocalypse is a documentary series that follows Graham Hancock in a globetrotting exploration to find evidence of mysterious lost civilizations. Graham visits such sites as Gunung Pandang in Indonesia, hoping to find proof of an extinction event that wiped out the civilization there, and in Cholula, the oldest continuously inhabited city in Mexico, he investigates an ancient pyramid to try and unlock its mysteries. The series is a window into some of the most puzzling places and artifacts in the world and offers up many strange and bewildering insights about the fall of ancient civilizations.
Who is Graham Hancock from Ancient Apocalypse?
Graham Hancock is a British author, writer, and former journalist. He has written prolifically for The Times and The Guardian and published many works about the fall of ancient civilizations. The 72-year-old writer has often been criticized for his pseudo-scientific works and, so far, has written 12 books on the subject that, despite his detractors, have sold millions of copies worldwide.
As well as his writing, Graham Hancock is no stranger to television and has made appearances in numerous shows, including Flooded Kingdoms of the Ice Age. He is also well known on social media and often presents his views to his followers on various platforms and can be seen delivering lectures live and on the radio and has appeared several times on Joe Rogan’s popular podcast.
Why is Graham Hancock controversial?
Graham Hancock has spent decades studying and formulating his theories about ancient civilizations. He has worked extensively on providing theories and evidence on what he believes to be true. The problem with Graham Hancock’s studies is that they are often refuted by scientists and scholars that do not believe that his research is accurate, making him controversial.
In 1999, Graham Hancock was the subject of a BBC documentary produced under the Horizon umbrella. The show featured Hancock and many of his theories, including a claim that Hancock had made about an ancient temple and its correlation with astronomical features.
The show refuted many of Hancock’s premises and argued that the same thing could be done with any major landmark. It also purported that the evidence presented by Hancock was not accurate and that he ignored certain facts that did not enhance his own theories.
READ: Will there be a season 2 of Ancient Apocalypse?
It appeared that the TV Show was not convinced by his claims, and Hancock would later say that the show had misrepresented him. This would lead to him officially complaining to the Broadcasting Standards Commission.
Hancock also courted more controversy with his Tedx Talk. The talk entitled “The War on Consciousness” promoted the use of ayahuasca. This is an Amazonian brew that is made up of a hallucinogenic compound called DMT. The author stated in the talk that adults should be allowed to use ayahuasca for spiritual growth.
What is Graham Hancock’s most popular book?
There can be no doubt that despite what you may think of his theories, Hancock has a huge following and can certainly shift units when it comes to books. He has 12 titles available, and it would seem that they are all pretty popular. His book Fingerprints of the Gods: The Evidence of Earth’s Lost Civilisation often appears in searches of his work and asks questions about what we consider to be the timeline of life on the planet.
The idea that mankind could be older than we previously thought is presented to the reader with evidence supplied by various techniques used by Hancock, such as archaeo-astronomy, geology, and computer analysis of ancient myths. Like the Netflix TV Show, the book follows Hancock as he explores various sites across the world and presents to the reader the nature of his investigations and the evidence that he uncovers that supports the idea that mankind has been around a lot longer than we previously thought.
Readers of this particular book seem split about Hancock and his speculations. It appears that those that are on board are validated by the extensive research that Hancock has conducted and invariably agree with his conclusions. There are also many who, although they can appreciate his talent as an author, simply cannot commit to the ideas he has about the history of mankind on the planet.
Comparisons are often made with the work of Swiss writer Erich von Daniken, who wrote the most infamous book, Chariots of the Gods? Daniken’s theories were largely built around the idea that aliens visited Earth and helped shaped our civilization. Like Hancock, Daniken courted the controversies that surrounded his work. Even today, there are still echoes of his work in popular culture. One example is director Ridley Scott saying that his film Prometheus was related to a lot of Daniken’s work.
How can I watch Ancient Apocalypse?
If you are intrigued by Graham Hancock, you will be pleased to know that you can watch all eight episodes of his show Ancient Apocalypse on Netflix. We would love to hear your take on the show and the theories it contains, so feel free to get in touch in the comment section down below.
