A coworker recommended the History channels series on Ancient Aliens and I was all set to review it on it's scientific merits (however slim)... BUT after watching the first episode I have decided anything even close to science is so well hidden to be not worth mentioning. Let's just say I found the show more entertaining than educational. Granted, I have only watched one episode and it is possible the following ones will astound me with facts and science, but I'm not holding my breath. Note: I didn't expect any real science to back up ancient aliens, but maybe some twisted science to validate their claims. The only thing I could see is using it to leap frog into a discussion of the Earth's magnetic field (it does indeed vary in places, as well as change over time). Unfortunately I know more about the paleomagnetic field of Mars than Earth's magnetic field and am not feeling motivate to embark on a investigation mission at the current time. However, I believe the variation in the field is usually due to areas with unusually high iron content or/and magnetite. And for an interesting article on how the field changes check out: Earth's Inconstant Magnetic Field (NASA).
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Ancient Aliens!
A coworker recommended the History channels series on Ancient Aliens and I was all set to review it on it's scientific merits (however slim)... BUT after watching the first episode I have decided anything even close to science is so well hidden to be not worth mentioning. Let's just say I found the show more entertaining than educational. Granted, I have only watched one episode and it is possible the following ones will astound me with facts and science, but I'm not holding my breath. Note: I didn't expect any real science to back up ancient aliens, but maybe some twisted science to validate their claims. The only thing I could see is using it to leap frog into a discussion of the Earth's magnetic field (it does indeed vary in places, as well as change over time). Unfortunately I know more about the paleomagnetic field of Mars than Earth's magnetic field and am not feeling motivate to embark on a investigation mission at the current time. However, I believe the variation in the field is usually due to areas with unusually high iron content or/and magnetite. And for an interesting article on how the field changes check out: Earth's Inconstant Magnetic Field (NASA).
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I watched a few episodes of this and was shaking my head most of the time. It seems they deliberately leave out certain facts so that their point comes through more clearly. Oh well, I agree about its entertainment value more than its educational value.
ReplyDeleteThe worst/best? of the episodes was the one with the Nazis. The comment: "Were they really Nazi's or were the Aliens in Nazi uniforms" pretty much summed it up.
ReplyDeleteDo wonder what some of the scientist who were featured thought once they actually saw the whole thing?
Unfortunately educating people is not first in the minds of people who make television shows, I think. It seems to be more about trying to dazzle people with sensationalism to get them to watch. Which is fine, but in that case I think those types of shows should throw off any pretensions towards science or fact. The irony is the real world (and universe) is usually much more bizarre and fascinating than fiction, much stranger and more interesting than most people's imaginations. I don't know, I think if more television creators took a chance and gave people the benefit of the doubt they could come up with something very watchable and truthful at the same time. The last thing society needs right now is more dumbing down.
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