The existence of an ancient advanced civilization that predated ours many millions of years ago seems to be an absurd idea.
Nevertheless, whether we like it or not, this issue is the subject of discussion and even serious scientific research.
Does this mean, however, that our planet was home to other intelligent races?
Researchers Gavin A. Schmidt, Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Rochester, along with Adam Frank, Director of NASA's Space Research Institute, in a collaborative research paper titled The Syrian Hypothesis: Can We Detect the Existence of Technical Civilization Through Geological Research, to answer this extremely ambitious question.
During the research, the researchers looked for any clues or markers signaling the existence of another race living on our planet, which was destroyed by some unknown cataclysm today.
Researchers Gavin A. Schmidt, Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Rochester, along with Adam Frank, Director of NASA's Space Research Institute, in a collaborative research paper titled The Syrian Hypothesis: Can We Detect the Existence of Technical Civilization Through Geological Research, to answer this extremely ambitious question.
Promotional video:
During the research, the researchers looked for any clues or markers signaling the existence of another race living on our planet, which was destroyed by some unknown cataclysm today.
The results of their research were published in the scientific journal International Journal of Astrobiology. The researchers describe many of the motives for their research there.
They point out, among other things, that although 300 years have passed since the beginning of the Industrial Age, compared to the time of the human race and the entire Earth, it is a funny time frame.
Thus, scientists wondered how big a sign we would leave in the geological layer of our planet, and then began to look for it on the past Earth.
But where did the name of the theory come from? Well, it turns out that the Sylurian hypothesis is a reference to a Doctor Who episode dating back to the 70s. According to the plot of the series, they have been lizard-like creatures, dormant since the geological age known as Sylur, which came to life as a result of experiments with nuclear weapons.
Of course, both researchers noted that they do not believe in the existence of intelligent lizards, although the idea mentioned in the series must have struck them as interesting.
However, researchers conclude that the supposed past civilization has long remained at the level of our development using fossil fuels and plastics.
If it were more or less developed, the soil content during this period would be significantly different from ours.
So far, Frank and Schmidt have not found any evidence that could indicate the existence of another advanced civilization from the past of our planet.
However, the very fact of such attempts is important from the point of view of future studies of the past of the Earth and even other planets with life support potential.