selected writings

By 2016, the percentage of childless couples will exceed those with children. Disturbing? I think it is.

The most recent Australian statistics show a national fertility rate of 1.75 children per woman. There appears to be many reasons for this result with the following being the most cited: Cost (The $265.00 per week it apparently costs to raise children to their early teens). Poor child care services. The high divorce rate and the general fragility of today’s relationships. Childcare policies and Family tax issues, and the increasingly lucrative careers available to woman. Indeed the reasons constitute important and complex questions and are the subject of a federally funded two-year study by the Australian National University's epidemiologist and population health centre. However, without seeking to invalidate any other proposed reasons can I venture to suggest one explanation for this decline?

The emergence of a powerful child-free lobby whose constituents are affluent, educated and very well placed to effect significant influence that extols the virtues of their raison d'être.

Increasingly its members are highly successful women who are now climbing the hierarchies of those companies that form part of the print and electronic media industry. By virtue of their occupations they are highly achievement orientated, well heeled and have little time or inclination to procreate and a great deal of time to influence. They are very comfortable and lead lifestyles that embrace the asp rational values that are seemingly affecting and reflecting the new character of Australian society. A society that they are helping to define. The values I refer to are not new, they have simply moved up the value hierarchy. What are some of our new values?

Achievement and Success: Achievement is something highly valued. That hard work, long hours at the office lead to a better more rewarding lifestyle. Increasingly individuals see a 'sense of accomplishment' as a major value and one that is strived hard for. The difference is that historically it was only associated with male employees but today achievement of this nature is a sought after female value that is reflected in the high percentage of woman holding top jobs.

Progress: Today’s success orientated female responds favourably to the notion of progress as tied to the belief that she can always improve, and that her tomorrows will always be better than her today’s. Unfortunately for many, progress does not equate to motherhood. Material Comfort. This implies the attainment of a good or better life. A life that includes ritzy BMW's, Estee Lauder cosmetics, a Carla Zampatti wardrobe, 5-star holiday, CBD dwelling, the latest home theatre system and a never-ending array of pleasure providing goods and services.

Individualism: The ANU study is expected to look at many factors as it explores the whys of childlessness - one such factor mentioned is the 'rapid rise of individualism and affluence'. In the context of this writing individualism refers to the value of being yourself. Self-interest, self-reliance, self-fulfilment are all expressions of this value. It is a rejection of dependency. The message is come-success, come-money, come-material comfort. In terms of consumer behaviour, individualism takes the form of reinforcing identity with possessions that emphasize the identity itself. In most cases, these will be status or designer labels.

Youthfulness: This is becoming a very highly favoured value in today’s society. It appears as though Australian working woman (and they are plentiful) are pre-occupied with looking and acting younger than they are. It is a state of mind that is reflected by expressions such as 'young in spirit', 'young at heart'. Cosmetic surgery, anti-wrinkle creams are a huge industry. Becoming a mother is seen as an accelerator of age and age related disorders and ageing appearance.

I clearly recall two images as they appeared in a popular woman’s magazine whose subject matter were children. The article was definitely biased toward the no children argument but it was the image that struck me. One photo was a family with kids; the other appeared to be a successful career driven couple. The family - 5 people; husband and wife, two young children, and a baby - was very plain. Plain suburban backyard, plain worn out back fence, plain garden shed, plain weatherboard in the background, plain dress, just plain in every conceivable way. In contrast, the other photo was one of attraction and beauty. Attractive people, beautiful town house style dwelling, Saba like furnishings, elegant corporate (DKNY, HUGO BOSS style) power dress, the female holding a glass of white, or was it Moet Chandon? You just tell they holiday at Port Douglas! What sort of picture are we painting here?

Unfortunately, it's a picture that will continue to be painted well into the forseeable future due to the pervasive and enduring nature of such values. Pervasive due to the significant portion of Australians who accept such values as a guide to their actions and attitudes and enduring because such actions have been influenced over an extended period of time.

My thoughts wonder to my own two young children. I can hear their excited voices in the background when I ring the doorbell upon arriving home. I can picture the looks on their faces when they see me after a day at work. To see the world through their eyes, to share experiences with them, to learn about the world and life through them, WOW!

I respect other people’s choices but make no apologies for my inability to understand the reasoning behind any argument not to have kids aside from a medical condition.

The answer? I offer at least a part solution to this issue. Perhaps education could play a role by bringing more traditional subjects into the fold at the secondary level. History, Philosophy, Humanities - Life education courseware that instils proper and fundamental values at the core. A knowledge base that provides for balanced and well rounded goals and a sense of wholeness and identity within the big picture. As a standalone this is not the solution however any form of education that teaches one how to be (as opposed to how to act), to look within for fulfilment, to know, and to understand, may assist individuals to make correct and informed choices in the cause of their lives. One decision may be whether or not to procreate...

Preface

As a youngster I often enjoyed viewing "Lost in Space" and "Star Trek" episodes and keenly sought reading material dealing with the possibility of extra solar life. In retrospect, this was probably due to the enjoyment derived from such shows. As the years passed, this curiosity evolved and provided the stimulus to evaluate the question in detail and generate this piece. I have infrequently heard or read convincing arguments regardless of the opinion put forward. I refer to points of view that are acceptable to wider audiences, easily understood and endow the recipients with a desire for more information or at least with a more flexible outlook. Too often, the analysis presented was scientifically complex to a point worthy of publication in the likes of "Scientific American" or put forward with such vigour as to leave one convinced that the notions were those of Science fiction nutcases.

I hope this writing presents a fresher intelligent perspective to anyone who ponders on the question either out of interest or as a flicker of such through viewing the likes of Hollywood blockbusters as "Independence Day". Ignored are the hackneyed arguments where the subject is correlated to:

Those seeking a definite answer either way may be disappointed by the brief, general and straightforward approach. Rather I have chosen a simplistic means by focusing on several unquestioned and significant facts that provide some likelihood that life, intelligent or otherwise may exist beyond the boundaries of the solar system. Broadly speaking the reasoning is as a consequence of the unending quantity of space and mass within the cosmos and our present understanding of it; potentialities based on the knowledge we already possess through the relevant sciences. Truths that independently provide a viable stand alone pro-life argument that cannot be easily dismissed and be arguably substantial. Whilst definite answers go begging my premise constitutes what I like referring to as a noteworthy plausibility factor.

This writing is for everyone; for those just fascinated or at the other end of the spectrum those who wouldn’t admit to anything other than that which falls within the "pigeon holes" of contemporary pragmatism’s.

Prologue

The timeless question

"Let me see if I got this straight, I come to you with what may be the pre-eminent discovery of the 20th century; and I get shit canned for it "! Actor Charlie Sheen endeavouring to make a point after discovering unusual radio signals in the 1996 movie " The Arrival ". Hollywood has often dabbled with the question as witnessed by a plethora of films dealing with the issue. Nevertheless, are we indeed alone? Historically the subject was raised as long ago as 4 and 5 century BC by the Pythagoreans and Greeks and has continued to raise serious debate particularly from the 16th century to present day. Only recently, have astronomers begun to study the question in detail. Armed with new technologies, in particular radio telescopes and the more recently launched Hubble, the search for extra solar life has been of great interest within the sciences and general folk alike. Intense search programs commenced in the early 1960’s and to date have been unsuccessful. More accurately, no empirical evidence has been produced. Given the magnitude of the task, this is hardly surprising; the variables are monumental in the least.

A Matter of Space

Consider one minute or more precisely minuscule portion of our galaxy; our very own Solar System. Of course, it is not small at all; rather the distances are great, minuscule, as a portrayal only becomes applicable when comparing its size to the known Universe. It consists of nine planets; Pluto the most distant being at the outer edge of the system is just over 5750,000,000 kilometers away (on average due to an unusual orbit). This represents about a 35-40 year return journey for our current propulsion systems. Whist the distance is vast, in terms of dimensions it is entirely negligible when compared to that of our nearest stars.

If there is life beyond our Solar System the nearest distance between us and them is that which corresponds with some of the nearest stars; those located under 50 light years in distance. Examples include Formalhaut, Altair and Vega with at least 10 others being less than 10 light years off. The theory being that just as planets orbit our sun whole planetary systems also orbit other stars. In 1995, scientists in Switzerland discovered evidence of up to 8 planets orbiting distant stars and no doubt more evidence is currently being collated. My intuitive guess is that planetary systems exist around 30% or more of known stars; within just 20 years this may be verified. Unlike Pluto, it is impractical to refer to star distances in kilometers; In The Case Of Vega, the accepted expression is 26.5 light-years. Lets attempt to understand just how far this is. Light travels at an almost inconceivable speed of 299,792.00 kilometers per second, In one year this represents 9,460,000,000,000 kilometers. Now multiply this staggering figure by 26.5 and you have the distance to Vega. The Saturn V rocket which took our astronauts to the moon achieved a velocity of 39,000 Km/hr after ejecting its third and final stage from the Apollo spacecraft. At this speed, it would take it more than 37 thousand years to travel just one light year and over 733 thousand years to reach Vega! One of our neighborhood stars. That is 9172 lifetimes for a one-way trip! Vega is extremely close to Earth by galactic standards. Now if it has not already happened this is where the mind begins to boggle, it may startle you to know that this stupendous distance between Vega and us represents a minute portion of our Milky Way galaxy.

The Milky Way galaxy is an enormous assembly of billions of stars including our own Sun. It is disc shaped, is 1000 light-years in height above its principle plane and has a diameter of 100,000 light years.

In an effort to conceive such a size, I present a simple analogy. Imagine if you will a 100km stretch of highway. The previously described distance between Earth and Vega would correspond to a mere 26 meters of it. This is just 0.026 percent of the galaxy!

The area around the Milky Way is made up of many other galaxies. Most are smaller but Andromeda being over 2,000,000 light years away has a diameter that is 30,000 light years greater than the Milky Way and contains over 300 billion stars. Our galaxy is part of a local group located within 3 million light years of each other. Similar larger groups of galaxies exist beyond this to distances of billions of light years!

The word "Space" becomes completely inadequate in the definitive sense when referring the Cosmos. Could there be modern civilizations say just a few hundred light years away? How would we know? Even if they had similar technology to us we could not detect or communicate with one another. The other side of the galaxy could be teeming with civilizations or there could be nothing, we are not to know. Our earliest radio transmissions, those that left Earth in the early 1890’s courtesy of Marconi have only traveled some 100 light years. This is just 100 meters of our highway analogy. In stark contrast to the movies, imagine how fantastic and yet frightening it would be if radio astronomers received clearly defined messages from a star system located just 7000 light years off. Alarming that the race responsible had the technology to transmit 7000 years ago! Present technology is completely inadequate to deal with such distances.

Universal laws of nature

The geological origins of Earth date back more than 4 billion years. The exact process by which it came into being is still in question with some experts suggesting that it originated from a cloud of meteorites and dust. These particles revolved around the sun with gravitational forces bringing them together and the heat generated causing melting and the subsequent formation of 3 layers - core, mantle and crust. Radiometric dating of the oldest rocks points to a crust age of 4.6 billion years.

Leaving the exact process aside, I note one significant fact that directly links our own planet with the entire cosmos. The material or more specifically matter involved in the earliest geological processes includes some of the core elements abundantly found within the universe. Similar natural processes and material interactions may have happened up to 10 billion years before Earths formation and continue present day within the galaxies.

In March this year (1998) astronomers using the Blanco telescope in Chile pointed the instrument in the direction of the Centauras constellation and to their astonishment they discovered what has since been dubbed a "Planetary construction zone". Discs of dust condensing into spheres possibly forming planets. They soon discovered that they had competition as a 2nd team this time from Caltech at NASA’s jet propulsion laboratories using the ‘Keck 2’ telescope in Hawaii also noted the discs and went public. Yet another team from the UCLA spotted similar dust discs around Formalhaut, Beta Pictoris and Vega in 1997. These represent the earliest planetary formation systems ever spotted. Events of 1997-1998 provided strong evidence that the galaxy was teeming with planets. Newsweek magazine recently (circa mid 1998) run a cover story titled "Found in space-birth of another Earth?" which detailed these exciting discoveries. Consider too that universal laws of nature govern the physical processes involved, processes which are sufficiently understood by the scientific establishment today - in particular within the disciplines of physics and chemistry.

As of 11 November 2006 , 209 extrasolar planets have been discovered. Known exoplanets are members of planetary systems that orbit a star. For centuries, extrasolar planets were a subject of speculation. Astronomers generally supposed that some existed, but it was a mystery how common they were and how similar they were to the planets of the Solar System. The first confirmed detections were finally made in the 1990s. Since 2002, more than twenty have been discovered every year. It is now estimated that at least 10% of sun like stars have planets, and the true proportion may be much higher. The discovery of extrasolar planets raises the question of whether some might support extraterrestrial life. Source: Wikipedia

The formation of life as we know it requires a near right temperature an atmosphere with the presence of water all held in place by a sufficiently strong gravitational force. The elements required include Oxygen, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and principally Carbon amongst others. Notably, conditions can actually differ from those on Earth, as there are many tolerance limits for life including the ability to develop from inorganic sources. Scientists suggest that the very first origins may have been simple single celled bacteria in an envelope of life enhancing chemicals including vital DNA. Its formation is essentially a 3-step process. Firstly Amino acids are produced and from this soup, we get proteins-which are crucial to the process- in turn nucleic acids, also known as DNA. This may seem a simple process but in reality it is far from that and has scientists baffled as to the true origins of life. The amino acids part is fairly straight forward but the latter 2 steps are truly an uphill venture, for this reason it can also be argued that in the purely scientific sense what happened on Earth may have been a unique event in our universe. Moreover, this is why.

According to scientific estimates, the chance of creating a mere single protein through the shuffling of Amino acids is 1X10 to the power of 130. That’s 10,000 million, million, million, million, million, million, million, million, million, million, million, million, million, million, million, million, million, million, million, million, million. These are in essence infinitesimal odds. Even when one brings the vastness of the observable universe into the sum, things do not get much better; this considering that estimates suggest that the number of planets in space exceeds 100 million, million, million. To wait for life to happen by accident could still take forever. The quantum leap to proteins let alone conscious life forms remains a completely unexplained mystery - albeit scientifically. Proponents of primordial soup theories would have us believe that life did arise through such chemical reactions in warm ponds and the argument advocates that it is therefore conceivable that it can occur elsewhere. The plausibility factor does, in fairness increase somewhat when the age of the universe is considered; estimated to be between 10 and 20 billion years depending on your source. Notably this is up to 10 billion years older than Earth.

Unidentified flying objects

No discussion about the possibility of extra solar life would seem complete without some mention or UFO’s. Lets first consider what a UFO is and what it is not. At the onset a UFO is not an extra terrestrial vehicle, more accurately consider a wider definition.

"The perception of a flying or stationary object whose appearance and dynamic behaviour defy conventional explanations and remain a mystery to both the percipients and those investigating them".

When expert analysis is applied, some 90% of sightings are dismissed for many a logical, valid and naturally occurring circumstances. It is the balance that represents the enigma and prudence should not permit us to draw steadfast conclusions either way. To accept them is to acknowledge them for what they really are; unidentified flying objects nothing more nothing less. One of the significant difficulties facing those attempting to explain them is that unlike normal forms of scientific inquiry, sightings are always beyond any form of experimental control and fall upon observers who are untrained and therefore incompetent in formulating analysis. Accordingly, the experts nearly always have to contend with data observed and gathered purely by chance resulting in a lack of community and more importantly scientific respectability.

The UFO question remains a contemporary puzzle and it must be said that some of the sightings I have read about appear most baffling. I am not suggesting that we have been visited conversely, I am not suggesting otherwise. At this juncture, I feel compelled to raise an important point. Recently after discussing the UFO/ET question with a friend I was momentarily startled when with what seemed absolute conviction, he remarked that it's all "made up"; products of SF writers and moviemakers. Hoping to settle come of my own questions, I probed for his reasoning. "Why hasn’t anyone seen them" was the proud and self-righteous response. Of course, I knew what he really meant; real sightings not the obscure stuff. UFO’s over urban communities and major capital cities observed by tens, perhaps hundreds of thousands and recorded by amateurs and professionals alike. Detected and monitored by military and civilian radar systems. He, like everyone wants incontrovertible evidence not the scanty and speculative so often presented. Assuming we have been visited (I am not suggesting that we have) let me offer but one explanation for those thinking along similar lines. They (UFO’s) may not wish to be detected or observed and have the technological means to ensure this is the case. Consider our technology in this context, stealth bombers capable of avoiding enemy radar during armed conflict or advance airborne warning and control systems (AWACS) with the capable of jamming communications over specified areas. If we can do this, is it not conceivable that any race able to cover the boundless distances to reach Earth also posses cloaking or stealth technologies that can completely evade our most sophisticated yet comparatively primitive surveillance. More so our human senses of sight and hearing. My friends limited view need not have surprised me human contemporary attitudes dictate that only those events and occurrences that are notably tangible be admitted as fact by the masses. The process is controlled through accepted and almost unquestioned channels of current day multimedia, irrespective of reality per-se.

Introspective

A call to science

Fanciful thinking? When and if technology provides even only partial answers to such notions we will be significantly closer to accurately examine the extra solar life question. We will leave it our astrophysicists to advance our knowledge in these areas and whilst it is certainly true that such notions appear wildly beyond current capabilities the word current deserves special emphasis. To suggest that anyone pondering such thoughts has absorbed too many SF lines is to put forward that all the fundamentals of the physical world have been understood. This was the view of many in the science establishment early last century. Enter Albert Einstein whose revolutionary concepts - relativity and quantum mechanics - displaced many previously held assumptions. Through history, progress in the sciences has occurred in bursts. As Einstein did, other brilliant minds will come forth; his curious mind will take him down new unexplored paths of thought and analysis. She will dig deeper into the building blocks of matter and he/she will-like many of there great predecessors- challenge the prevailing theories of their time and we shall witness quantum jumps similar to the Newton/Einstein era’s. The American philosopher William James summed it up when remarking upon the views of the science establishment amongst his Harvard colleagues. I find his words so poignant that I present verbatim.

"Science has made such glorious leaps in the last 300 years that it is no wonder the worshippers lose their heads…I have heard more than one teacher say that all the fundamental conceptions of truths in science have been found and that the future has only the details of the picture to fill on. But the slightest reflection on the real conditions will suffice to show just how barbaric…crude…such notions are …whatever else be certain, this at least is. That the world of our present natural knowledge is enveloped in a larger world of some sort, of whose residual properties we, at present can frame no positive idea".

Over 100 years have passed since these statements. Has time not vindicated him?

It is the view of many in science circles that major leaps in the understanding of physical laws will occur as a result of new discoveries at sub-atomic levels, this in turn will increase our knowledge of the larger world. As I reflect on this I feel somewhat assured that it is a logical approach to studying the larger picture. Empty spaces located deep within sub-atomic particles which; may seem quiet and calm may- in effect- only appear so because we cannot yet see and understand nature at such levels. These spaces could yet be a virtual "sea" of undiscovered constituents popping up into quantifiable existence for a brief micro second or two only to be annihilated by a naturally occurring anti particle and disappearing. This is the world of astrophysicists and glorious scientific progresses await us from such disciplines.

It should be not difficult to decipher how my reasoning is unfolding. It is foolish and inadequate for anyone be scientist, philosopher, and commoner to believe that conclusive answers can be put forward based on current levels of technology.

As a race we have an enormous potential to grow and discover and yet, in each era of our history an astounding sense of self-satisfaction and content ness is entrenched and prevails. An attitude accepted by most participants of each period, a secure consciousness that fails to recognize the scope of things to come.

Let us therefore acknowledge that current day technology within all its modern day packaging will be primitive in 100, 500, 1000 years hence. Assuming we continue as an intelligent race; technologies of the future can only be envisioned by our imaginative faculties. If the past 100 years were any indication, any attempt to depict such distant technology would render us incoherent.

Consider this:

Is there life beyond our solar system?

If ones level of conviction on he question could be represented on a scale between -10 and +10 where the former would indicate an unequivocal "no" and the latter a "yes" to the same degree, my personal view would be represented by about 1. My answer is therefore yes but only just. In fairness this is a somewhat philosophical response and almost certainly due to an emotional need to remain optimistic. As for our very own Earth, I am feel certain of one thing, that life did not result from some sort of chemical accident; ordinary amino acids doing extraordinary things, which thankfully, leaves us with the miracle.

Like me however, anyone could be excused; for when wondering about the possibility of extra-solar life, and as he reflects upon and gazes into the heavens whilst pointlessly attempting to grasp the unending dimensions of it all. She is struck with a sense of marvel, becoming in a childlike manner, intensely and innocently curious…

Useful links:

In 1995, I purchased a book with an engaging title “Fingerprints of the Gods” by Graham Hancock. After scanning the shelves at the bookstore for what seemed hours it seemed to jump at me when first glimpsed. It was a No 1 bestseller in circa 1994 and the reviews were good to say the least. It was a gift for my father. For 5 years it sat unread on the shelves gathering dust until recently on a shopping day when somewhat bored, I carelessly picked it up and started reading. Let me assure you its no afternoon read; perhaps my dad found its width daunting for he never read it. Six hundred or so pages with text no bigger than about 8pt Times Roman Numeral on what at first thought may seem like a mundane read. However, mundane it is not.

This short piece introduces a concept introduced in a mere chapter of the book. Presented in my own words it throws new light on man’s past and reveals clear “fingerprints of an unknown civilisation” that flourished eons before conventionally accepted wisdom. Enjoy.

“If you’ll just…look surely you can see it’s all wrong, as any scholar will tell you that human civilisation began 4000 to 5000BC and quite frankly I’m growing tired of your humdrum about orthodox views and the like. Must I remind you that it’s been twenty five years since my thesis, your problem is that you address us as if second year students and average one’s at that”?

Dale Larkin’s forehead was now glistening for he knew the argument was lost. Yes indeed, he taught ancient history at University College Washington and was highly respected by his peers but Pritcher was different. As always he regretted accepting tonight’s invitation, the food was great; the interior even better but Pritcher’s presence was always unsettling and that’s all that mattered. He was relieved that the girls did not take an interest in the discourse, Amanda and Sue were- thankfully- always oblivious to their spouse’s debate’s preferring to limit their discussion to the immediate surroundings and general city gossip. Pritchers’s new findings were disturbing and Dale understood this, but understand and accept are entirely different. The latter would mean acknowledging that all he learned and taught was now highly dubious.

Joseph Pritcher was no historian, at least in an official sense; in fact no more than a modern day geographer with an incessant passion for ancient history, which has, endured for twenty years. His latest paper on the mystery maps is gaining more attention and scrutiny than Larkin can bear. He was audacious and as Larkin would reluctantly acknowledge his research was far too comprehensive and rational to dismiss. The map stuff alone was extraordinary.

As desert was being served and the evening drew to a close Dale sat wondering. Could the historians have it all wrong?

Current Scholastic and Academic understanding on the beginnings of civilisation:

Prior to 4000BC there were no civilizations at all. For the not so discerning I refer here to the traditional definition of civilisation as drafted in the Oxford dictionary, hence, "Civilisation", advanced stage of social development; peoples regarded as having achieved, or being instrumental in evolving, this. Civilisation first developed in the Middle East sometime after 4000BC. Some of the earliest civilizations were Sumer and Egypt around 3000BC and soon followed by China. By comparison to us, such civilizations are said to be ancient or primitive. In his book Graham Hancock reveals evidence that appears to contradict all this and given the reviews I have come across his work is given high credence.

8 RECONNAISSANCE TECHNICAL SQUADRON
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
Westover Air force base
6 July 1960

Your request for evaluation of certain unusual features of the Piri Reis World Map of 1513 by this organization has been reviewed.

The claim that the lower part of the map portrays the Princess Martha Coast of Queen Maud land Antarctica and the Palmer Peninsula is reasonable. We find this is the most logical and in all probability the correct interpretation of the map.

The geographical detail shown in the lower part of the map agrees very remarkably with the seismic profile made across the top of the ice cap by the Swedish and British Antarctic team of 1949.

This indicates the coastline had been mapped before it was covered by the ice cap.

We have no idea how the data on this map can be reconciled with the supposed state of geographical knowledge in 1513.

There is one line in the previous communiqué, which is worth reading once again. To geologists, historians and the related scientific fraternity it is somewhat of a bombshell.

This being true the mapping or cartography must have been done ages ago. How long? According to orthodox wisdom the ice-cap is millions of years old however although in minority some specialists in this field (Seismology, Planetary Geology) have recently concluded that the region indicated above passed through an ice free period that ended about six thousand years ago. This releases us from having to explain who may have had the technology to map millions of years ago. Nevertheless, mapping is complex, highly mathematical and an activity very much tied to that of civilized societies, how it could have been done even six thousand years ago is unknown. As this is some two thousand years before the earliest known civilizations.

Serious questions go begging and explanations do not get easier due to the following remarkable facts.

So the AD1513 map not only included a continent not discovered until AD1818 but it accurately indicated the continent’s appearance in ice-free conditions. How can Admiral Reis have known this?

Apparently on the map itself he provides some answers. He admits that he was not responsible for the surveying and that he merely compiled the map from other sources dating back to 4th century BC. He did not however suggest an identity to the earlier maps. In 1963 Prof. Hapgood argued that some of the source maps used by Reis especially those of 4 century BC were based on older sources which in turn were based on even older sources yet. He went on to suggest that there was evidence indicating that our Earth had been comprehensively mapped before 4000BC by an unknown civilisation which had achieved a high level of technology.

“It appears he concluded that accurate information has been passed down from people to people. It appears that the charts must have originated with a people unknown and they were passed on, perhaps by the Minoans and the Phoenicians, who were, for a thousand years and more, the greatest sailors of the ancient world. We have evidence that they were collected and studied in the great library of Alexandria and that the geographers who worked there made the compilations of them”.

Time’s man of the century Albert Einstein weighed into the argument, as did John Wight President of the American Geographical Society suggesting that Hapgood posed “hypothesis that cry aloud for further testing”. And yet no further research has been undertaken into these irregular maps. Prof Hapgood was until his death largely ignored by his peers who spoke of his work as “selecting trivia and factors not subject to verification as the bases for condemnation, seeking in this way to avoid the basis issues”.

The late Hapgood taught history at Keene College; quite likely future generations will remember him as the “man who undermined world history”. Einstein realized this when he contributed to the forward of a book by Hapgood in 1953. He wrote:

“I frequently receive communications from people who wish to consult me concerning their unpublished ideas. It goes without saying that these ideas are very seldom possessed of scientific validity. The very first communications I received from Prof Hapgood electrified me. His idea is original. Of great simplicity, and (if it continues to prove itself) of great importance to everything that is related to the history of the Earth’s surface”.

Prof Hapgood went on to argue how large parts of Antarctica remained ice- free until 4000BC, together with other peculiarities of Earth science. The details are complex for this writing but again Einstein provides a summary to Prof Hapgood’s findings:

“In a polar region there is continual deposition of ice, which is not symmetrically distributed about the pole. The Earth’s rotation acts on these unsymmetrical deposited masses and produces centrifugal momentum that is transmitted to the rigid crust of the Earth. The constantly increasing centrifugal momentum produces in this way will, when it has reached a certain point, produce a movement of the earth’s crust over the rest of the earth’s body”.

The Piri Reis map provides evidence of this and since such a map could only have been drawn prior to 4000BC the implications are shuddering.

Admiral Piri Reis had a distinguished career in the navy of the Ottoman Turks. For whatever reasons his superiors beheaded him around 1550AD, this in-spite of many successes in sea battles in the sixteenth century. He was considered expert in the sea and lands of the Mediterranean and authored a well known and famous sailing book Kitabi Bahriye which detailed many features relevant to the sailors of the Mediterranean seas. Through his status as Admiral he had privileged access to the Imperial Library at Constantinople. It is likely that the source maps used to draw his 1513 map were located within the library walls. It was only as recent as 1929 that the map was re-discovered within this library.

Lt Colonel Ohlmeyer was confounded as to how the Piri Reis so accurately indicated the Sub Glacial Topography of this region of Antarctica. A topography hidden since at least 4000BC and not revealed again until a comprehensive seismic study in 1949.

So what of the Piri Reis map? Purely coincidental? It would have been discarded as such if it were not for other maps, which have surfaced. It appears that the late Admiral was not the only one who had stumbled upon apparently unexplainable geographical knowledge. Maps containing information which defies existing historical orthodoxies.

In 1960 Prof Hapgood spent many weeks at the Reference room of the Library of Congress, Washington DC. Not surprisingly he was amongst other things studying old references on Antarctica.

“I found many things I had not expected to find. Then one day, I turned a page and sat transfixed. As my eyes fell upon the Southern Hemisphere on a world map drawn by Oronteus Finaeus in 1531, I had the instant conviction that I had found here a truly authentic map of the real Antarctica”.

“The general shape of the continent was startlingly like the outline of the continent on our modern maps. The position of the South Pole was about right. The mountain ranges that skirted the coastline suggested the ranges that had been discovered in recent years. It was obvious too that this was no slapdash creation of someone’s imagination. The Mountain ranges were individualized, some definitely coastal and some not. From most of them were shown rivers flowing into the sea, in every case following what looked like very natural drainage systems. This suggested that the coasts might have ice-free when the original map was drawn”.

The Oronteus Finaeus map was carefully scrutinized by Prof Hapgood and also forwarded to Dr Richard Strachen of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who confirmed the following:

We know have two documents which show the Antarctica region as no mapmakers of historical times could have seen. With just two pieces of evidence, we cannot however suggest that an ancient -and yet apparently advanced- civilisation once roamed the planet. Can four, five or six maps be dismissed? Gerard Kremer was the sixteenth centuries most famous cartographer; best known as Mercator and best remembered for the Mercator projection method of mapping which is still in use today. He spent many years studying and accumulating knowledge of ancient source maps. (It is reported that he paid an unexplained visit to the Pyramids of Egypt in the 1560’s). At around the same time he put together a world atlas, which included the Oronteus Finaeus Map and some of his own on the region, which are of greater detail than Oronteus. Observed Hapgood, Mercator must have had source maps at his disposal, which Oronteus did not. Philip Bauche was an eighteenth century French cartographer who also must have come across some excellent ancient references which were used to publish a map of Antarctica well before it was officially discovered. Studies show his sources to be thousands of years old and through these produced a map of extraordinary detail of how the region must have looked when it had no ice on it at all. Revealed is the entire sub glacial topography; topography not known until 1958 when a comprehensive seismic analysis was completed - 1958 was International geophysical year. The bauche map is dated 1737.

As already mentioned, many sources and geologists believe the last time any waterways existed in the ice filled regions of Antarctica was millions of years ago (Bauche depicted a clear waterway on his map). This is the orthodox view but equally orthodox it is to affirm that no civilizations or mapmakers were around in such times. The evidence suggests that they did and were capable of mapping entire continents. This being the case all facts of human evolution through studies and accumulated knowledge from Darwin on must be wrong! The combination of all these references seems to point to the existence of an unknown civilisation (13,000BC - 4,000BC).

Historians have pointed out that Mercator’s world map of 1569 is considerably less accurate in its portrayal of South America than his earlier 1538 map. Surprising however is the reason for this anomaly. Apparently, his earlier maps are based on other very early maps of ancient sources whilst the latter one relied on the observations and measurements of the first Spanish explorers of the day. Instruments capable of measuring longitude and latitude did not exist in the 1500’s. Unknown to Mercator at the time the accuracy of his work declined significantly when he began sourcing his information from the early “modern” explorers.

Defined as the distance in degrees east or west of the prime meridian which is an imaginary curve drawn from the North to the South pole and passing through the royal observatory at Greenwich London. Greenwich stands at 0o longitude, it can be fixed precisely for any given point on the Earths surface. Rather than elaborating on the technicalities of how this is achieved the important point we make here is that it was not until the eighteenth century that an instrument was finally invented through which cartographers and mapmakers alike could fix longitude with precision. Before this it was largely an estimate, best described as guessing and in most cases the inaccuracies were measured in hundreds of miles. Throughout history, a device, which could achieve accurate measurement of longitude, had remained beyond the ability of scientists. Whilst latitude (North or South of the equator) was not as complex it could be worked out through angular measurements of the sun and stars, longitude instruments had to combine position measuring with time measuring. With increasing sea traffic such an instrument became important and a sense of urgency set in. The search for longitude was critical to the lives of all at sea and safety of every ship. Essentially what was required was an instrument that could keep the time of the departure location with complete accuracy during sea voyages and whilst encountering such adverse conditions as ship motions and major climate changes. Said Isaac Newton in 1714 such a devices “Hath not yet been made”. The instruments of the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries were crude and lost over 15 minutes per day.

It was not until the 1770’s that a talented English clockmaker named John Harrison invented a chronometer. This made it possible for cartographers to fix longitude with precise accuracy; something ancient civilizations were supposedly unable to do. Harrison’s’ invention was made possible after the British Government established the “Board of Longitude” and offered a 20,000 pound prize for the inventor of a device which could determine a ships longitude to within 30 miles after a 6 week voyage. Such an instrument would have to be accurate to within 3 seconds per day. Nevertheless, it took another 40 years before Harrison finally succeeded.

The Piri Reis map of 1513 places South America and Africa in the correct relative longitudes. A map entitled the “Dulcert Portolano” of 1339 and which focuses on Europe and North Africa presents latitude across huge distances precisely and the total longitude of the Mediterranean seas accurate to with half a degree. The Zeno map of 1380 is yet another complete enigma. It locates places over a wide area of which latitudes and longitudes are incredibly accurate. As Hapgood noted “ It is unbelievable that anyone in the fourteenth century could have found accurate latitudes not to mention longitudes. As the enigmatic list continues Hapgood suggests that we delude ourselves by thinking that such accurate instruments were not invented until the nineteenth century, they were he states merely re-discovered. The old maps suggest that a now lost civilisation explored and charted the entire planet, a civilisation that also commanded a great deal of knowledge about mathematics.

The Mathematics

The Earth is a sphere and when mapping continents only a globe can represent it in the correct proportion. Transferring such data to flat sheets requires knowledge of an artificial and complex mechanical and mathematical device known as map projection. Mercator’s is merely one form of projection and is still in use today. All successful projection requires the usage of sophisticated techniques of a kind unknown in the ancient worlds. Particularly in 4000BC when allegedly, there were no civilizations at all. Hapgood submitted the ancient maps to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for assessment. He wished to know what level of mathematics was used to draw up the original source documents. Professor Richard Strachan replied that indeed a very high level was required. Some of the maps projected a Mercator type projection long before Mercator himself. This meant a “Trigonometric co-ordinate transformation” method was used.

Other reasons given to indicate that the ancient mapmakers wee skilled mathematicians:

Other experts to lend their weight to the argument included, Lorenzo Burroughs who was chief of the eighth reconnaissance technical squadron’s cartographic section in the USAF. Said Burroughs’s.

..."Suggests the use of advanced mathematics. Further, the shape given to the Antarctic Continent suggests the possibility, if not the probability, that the original source were compiled on a stereographic or gnomonic type of projection involving the use of spherical trigonometry"...

..."We are convinced that the findings made by you and your associates are valid, and that they provoke extremely important questions affecting geology and ancient history"…

One more important discovery awaited Hapgood. A Chinese map copied from an earlier original onto a stone pillar in AD 1137. Like the others, in terms of coordinates, it is of excellent quality. It also included a grid once again drawn up with the aid of spherical trigonometry. Given it shares so many features with the other previously mentioned maps one conclusion is drawn - it stemmed from a common source.

We have therefore discovered what seems like the surviving elements of a vanished science belonging to a lost civilisation.

Aside form steadfast conclusions many a logical person would not dismiss such findings as pure coincidence. The Earth is millions of years old and for the most part has provided the atmospheric conditions to sustain human life. Yet, recorded history of human kind in the civilisation context goes back a mere 5000 years. Was there a cataclysm? One which virtually wiped out all indication of a previous peoples? The evidence we have seems to suggest there was. For anyone wishing to investigate this and other mysteries of this genre I suggest you purchase Graham Hancock’s book “Fingerprints of the Gods”. Read it and be blown away.

That July evening now seemed a distant memory. Dale Larkin sat motionless whilst contemplating the events of the past few months. His recent actions had lifted Joseph Pitchers status to a level he could never have attained alone and yet he found comfort in this. No longer was Pitcher an adversary. It had become impossible to refute the growing list of data pointing to the unavoidable - a complete re-evaluation of the history of human species upon our planet. This was much more than the simple switching of sides it was a consequential professional reaction to a new set of facts. Of the old school, it was Larkin whom first - albeit ever so reluctantly - conceded and like a domino affect the others soon followed. His early departure from the status-quos probably angered Pritcher as many interested parties; not so much within the academia itself believed that it was Larkin who gave credence to Pritcher's work not as it were, the other way around. Dale felt re-energized and inspired to further investigate the new findings.

Unlike previous occasions tonight’s dinner outing with Joseph did not give rise to the usual level of apprehension, they were partners now. He felt good.

“Honey”; a startled Dale turned to realize that Amanda had been ready for some time. She stood there earnestly seeking counsel on her appearance and as she did Dale thought how wonderful, she looked. She looked markedly younger in her evening gown, it was loose and almost translucent with the sensual parts beneath quite nearly visible. The dress finished just below her knees. She was small breasted and rather narrow round the waist with hips rounded and full. Her thighs were generous but her legs narrowed to reveal graceful legs, ankles and feet. Her hair was dark and shoulder length, her eyes brown, and lips full and glistening. “Well how do I look?” “Delightfully human” replied Dale. Amanda lifted her arms, raised her head and demanded scrutiny saying “I should hope so, men have died for this body”. “The opposite would be preferable,” said Dale. “A wise choice” came the reply for “once this body is attained, all sighs become sighs of ecstasy”. “Yes”, replied Dale “life is indeed good, in any epoch”.

It may be the most vilified of musical genre's but few can dispute the influences this era has had on other music kinds to date. It is amazing to note the number of tracks which continue to be recorded and make use of very identifiable samples of the original Disco songs...

These were exciting times (1977 - 1981), more importantly they in large part, represent my youth and it would be a wholesale lie to deny my participation in the craze.

Find below listing of tracks in my collection and for what its worth my personal rating...

Artist	Track	Length	Format	Rating

202 Machine	Get up rock your body	7:09	mp3 & Vinyl	xx
A Taste of Honey	Boogie Oogie Oogie	6:25	mp3	xxx
Alicia Bridges	I love the night Life	3:06	mp3 & Vinyl	xx
Andrea True Connection	More More More	3:02	mp3	xxx
Andy Gibb	I want to be your everything	3:44	mp3	xx
Andy Gibb	Shadow Dancing	4:31	mp3	xx
Arpeggio	Love and Desire	8:56	mp3	xx
Average White Band	Pick up the pieces	3:59	mp3	xxxx
B.T.Express	Give up the funk	6:39	mp3 & Vinyl	xx
Barry Manilow	Copa Cabana	5:46	mp3	xx
Barry White	Love's theme	4:10	mp3	xx
Bee Gees	Staying Alive	4:34	mp3 & Vinyl	xx
Bee Gees	Night Fever	3:26	mp3 & Vinyl	xxx
Bee Gees	You should be Dancing	4:06	mp3 & Vinyl	xx
Bionic Boogie	Risky Changes	7:14	mp3 & Vinyl	xxx
Blondie	Rapture	10:05	mp3 & Vinyl	xxx
Bohannon	Let's start the dance again	7:01	mp3 & Vinyl	xxxx
Bonnie Pointer	Heavon must have sent you	7:13	mp3	xx
Boys Don't cry	I wanna be a cowboy	3:54	mp3 & Vinyl	xx
Brainstorm	Love is really my game	4:46	mp3	xxx
Brick	Dazz	4:49	mp3 & Vinyl	xx
Brothers Johnson	Stomp	6:25	mp3	xxx
Carol Jiani	Hit and run lover	3:33	mp3	x
Change	A Lover's Holiday	6:22	mp3 & Vinyl	xxx
Change	Searching	7:54	mp3 & Vinyl	xx
Change	Paradise	5:16	mp3 & Vinyl	xxx
Change	On Top	5:07	mp3 & Vinyl	xx
Change	Change of heart	6:59	mp3	xxx
Cheryl Lynn	Got to be real	5:08	mp3	xx
Cheryl Lynn	Encore	7:43	mp3	xx
Cheryl Lynn	Shake it up tonight	5:42	mp3	xx
Chic	I want your love	6:53	mp3 & Vinyl	xx
Chic	Good times	8:14	mp3 & Vinyl	xxx
Chic	Le Freak	4:20	mp3 & Vinyl	xxx
Chic	Happy Man	4:07	mp3 & Vinyl	xx
Chilly	For your love	12:01	mp3 & Vinyl	xx
Claudja Barry	Boogie Woogie Dancin Shoes</