Could Earth Have Once Harbored a Pre-Human Industrial Civilization?

I found this new article in Popular Mechanics to be interesting. It's about the highly speculative Silurian hypothesis. I’m less interested in the climate change aspect of this than I am in the question of whether there was another advanced civilization sometime between 66 and 56 million years ago. But the climate change aspect is their posited evidence.

Homo sapiens first appeared on Earth about 300,000 years ago. In the unlikely case that such an old industrial civilization had existed, it would predate the species to which we all belong. It was then that Schmidt called the idea the Silurian hypothesis, paying homage to the sophisticated reptilian humanoids awoken by nuclear testing after 400 million years of hibernation in a 1970s episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The study authors decided to laser in on the time period from four million years ago to 400 million years ago

According to the Silurian hypothesis, there may have been a non-human civilization on Earth for millions of years that was able to alter the planet to the point where it created a climate shift that was comparable to, if not greater than, the one currently being experienced.

This theory was developed by scientists after researching the "Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum," a dramatic climate change that occurred 56 million years ago separating the Paleocene and the Eocene epochs. The Earth's average temperature during that time period was 15 degrees greater than it is now. The weather at the poles was nearly tropical, and there was essentially no ice on the whole surface of the planet.

In any case, the scientists do make a point here. It would be entirely feasible for there to have been no traces left behind if that extinct civilization had ever existed. Consider the fact that the majority of the things we can dig up are only thousands or even hundreds of thousands of years old, rather than the millions of years since the Paleocene. It's also likely that the factories and structures from that time period that are being speculated upon here are nothing more than dust.

I know that the easiest answer is volcanic activity and the gases released by thawed ice caps and warming oceans, but it is fun to speculate about whether or not it was an advanced civilization that ended the Paleocene.

“Is it common for any civilization that reaches our level of energy use to trigger their own version of climate change? I was wondering. If there are alien civilizations, would they also trigger climate change?”

“I went into the meeting with Gavin A. Schmidt [a climatologist and the director of NASA GISS], and started talking about aliens. And then Gavin stopped me and said, ‘Wait a second. How do you know we’re the only time there’s been a civilization on our own planet?’’

“After a few million years, Earth is pretty much resurfaced. You’re not going to have any statues, buildings, or anything left,”

“You’d have to look at each layer of rock, and then try and detect trends—look for changes in things like the carbon or oxygen isotopes, which are tracers of things like carbon dioxide. An industrial civilization would dump lots of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, just like we do,

Could Earth Have Once Harbored a Pre-Human Industrial Civilization?

I'm not interested in debating whether or not the climate is changing now or what part humans may or may not have in it. This is under Lost & Ancient Civilizations. Let's limit discussion to whether or not there existed a society millions of years ago if the topic does generate discussion. I know that's likely just wishful thinking. This thread will somehow become about our current politics if it does manage to get more than a couple replies.

I used to have this reoccuring thought that car emissions were some form of terraforming project.

Then we have these unbearable scorching droughts, which is very appealing to lizards.

Hot dry sunny climate and all, good way to keep warm.

The problem this presents is that most humans cannot survive such extreme conditions and there was some sort of arguement going on about the whole World Domination thing and that it wasn't fair to the majority of lifeforms to allow for such a severe terraforming project to go forward at the expense of so many.

If my overactive imagination and observances of the current climate regionally are any indication of anything, the lizards were told to back down and we've had more clouds and reasonable temperatures lately.

I'm just glad the council decided in the manner with which they did.

Everyone local is much happier.

Back on topic, I think it is possible there was an advanced Draconian Race on the planet at some point in history, then things moved on.

Nothing about the Universe would surprise me at this point.

a reply to: tamusan

Could?

Sure, "anything is possible".

More likely, God reused the world assets from the dinosaur survival game for the civilization game of life choices simulation.

Choose wisely.

I still believe there are several inner earth species that exist in our time frame of evolution. Some are advanced, some are not.

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

Your geo-forming hypothesis is a good one and ties in with one of my other favorite conspiracy theories: reptilians.

Our own advanced civilization apparently was just getting started around 30,000 years ago, and look how far we've gotten.

This same thing could have happened hundreds of times before. And add 100,000 years between each one, and you wouldn't even have much more than giant stone covered pyramids left to see.

Even all of the metal and glass from the biggest skyscrapers wouldn't last long enough to see the next 'civilization'.

Just think about what was in all of those old libraries that they destroyed in Egypt over the years.

Imagine when these world civilizations end. Slowly. First the lights go out and the energy stops flowing. Total chaos for a year. And then dead silence for the next 100,000 years. As some humans manage to make it for sure, but society in general is gone. No order, just wild life.

a reply to: infolurker

More likely, God reused the world assets from the dinosaur survival game for the civilization game of life choices simulation.

Sure, "anything is possible".

Choose wisely.

I feel that I am living the best I can according to my interpretation of what Jesus and his disciples were actually saying. A theological debate would be way off topic, but I'd be game if there wasn't the chance for the posts being removed.

a reply to: EmmanuelGoldstein

Thank you for the reply. It is exactly the kind of thinking that supports the possibility of an advanced civilization existing 60 million years ago, give or take a few million.

originally posted by: Ilikesecrets
I still believe there are several inner earth species that exist in our time frame of evolution. Some are advanced, some are not.

This is another conspiracy theory that I like to read and speculate about.

a reply to: EmmanuelGoldstein

Yeah, that is really something that would explain a lot. Some could have left the planet to explore, and are now returning. If that’s true, I’m sure their first thoughts are something along the line of WTF!

Surely some artifacts must still exist somewhere that would prove this theory. I’m not talking about a spark plug in a rock, I want something that’s undeniable. A time capsule of sorts.

I believe in the possibility for no other reason than the archeological finds of machined pieces of metal found in ancient bedrock. unless the dating was seriously off. But we need evidence, and we need to address the issue of if there was real evidence would our government want that news to get out?

metallicman.com...



www.pinterest.com...

a reply to: tamusan

I love Lizzies.

I'm actually waiting on a t-shirt in the mail proclaiming such.

Reptiles are so cool.

I think there is a lot of fear based propaganda out there about them (looking at you Icke) and I'm still waiting for the right time to write a thread about my experiences and observations about what I have gleaned about them.

Hint : They're actually hardworking, dedicated, love good food and are badass warriors.

I think Icke is part lizard himself, personally...it's just something in his eyes that strikes me a certain way.

I mean, if we are genetically engineered hybrid species the R-Complex center in the brain is something we all share to varying degrees, so in a way, we're ALL part lizard on some level.

Sorry, I get stoked on the Liz and could really fangirl out right now but I don't want to derail the thread any further.

Nice to meet another Lizzie Fan!

We should compare notes sometime!

I've added you to me friends list if you ever want to chat via U2U.

a reply to: Topcraft

Some could have left the planet to explore, and are now returning. If that’s true, I’m sure their first thoughts are something along the line of WTF!

Now that's a thought.

a reply to: putnam6

I find stuff like that neat. I wish we were able to get some clear answers on whether or not stuff like that is authentic.

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

I look forward to reading your thread when you are ready to post it.

I just added you to my friends list, too.

a reply to: putnam6

I love mysteries like this!

It really opens up the doorway to creative explanations for such phenomena!

This is awesome!

a reply to: tamusan

Except that there is no anthropogenic climate shift.

Well actually thing would have survived for millions of years.
www.scienceworld.ca...

The image above shows where the oldest crust is - its still their and hasn't been replaced

Items from our current civilization would survive as long as the crust is not subducted or the surface eroded away.

These would be gold items, cut gems, ceramics, some plastics, brick and concrete in some circumstances, radioactive waste (based on half life), any disturbance of the soil will remain until that soil is destroyed or eroded away. Places where holes were drilled would remain, along with km long tunnels driven thru granite mountains. Sedimentary rocks laid down would contain pollution and wastes from said civilization.

a reply to: incoserv

Maybe not, but just in case, I will keep on driving my V8s, burning oil to heat my house, taking short flights for what would otherwise be a 3-hour drive, and whatever else I am doing that could be helping to make it too hot.

I gave you a star even though your comment wasn't what I was looking for.

a reply to: Hanslune

I gave you a star, but your link is broken, and I'd like to read it before commenting about your post content.