Ancient Aliens s21e10 Episode Script
The Volcano Factor
1
NARRATOR: Around the world,
volcanoes have long been known
to be UFO hot spots.
We're seeing UFOs
at volcanoes all over the world,
in South America, in Mexico,
North America and in Iceland.
NARRATOR: The ancient people
believed volcanoes were home to the gods.
Mount Merapi is the realm
of otherworldly beings.
NARRATOR: And some
volcanoes have even been described
as portals to other worlds.
The Muisca people literally believe
that a volcano is a stargate.
NARRATOR: Do these powerful
forces of nature have a connection
to extraterrestrials?
GIORGIO TSOUKALOS:
Volcanoes were first-contact places
where our ancestors
made physical contact
with whomever descended from the sky.
♪
NARRATOR: Residents
of this thriving metropolis
live in the shadow of a smoking
volcano called Popocatépetl.
Known as El Popo by the locals,
it has been erupting since 1994.
Webcams installed around the mountain
live stream images of its peak
so scientists can monitor
volcanic activity.
But early in the evening
of June 19, 2016,
the cameras capture something
completely unexpected.
These webcams run 24/7. They never stop.
But the volcano itself
is obscured by clouds.
But you can see the ash and the smoke
billowing out from a distance.
Suddenly, a dozen glowing orbs appear
and fly straight towards the volcano.
And everyone was wondering,
"What was that?"
NARRATOR: Days later,
another webcam captures
more mysterious lights
flying around the volcano.
But perhaps
the strangest event was captured
on January 24, 2017.
CHILDRESS: In the video,
you will see a small light emerge
from the top of El Popo.
It almost looks like
a tiny craft of some kind.
And moments later,
suddenly, there's a flash,
and then the small light
transforms into a glowing orb
and then shoots
straight up into the atmosphere.
It's one of the most
remarkable videos of an orb
that I've ever seen.
NARRATOR: Curiously, El
Popo is not the only volcano
where strange, glowing orbs
have been seen.
Similar objects have been recorded
at numerous other volcanoes
around the world.
And many scientists
who work on volcanoes claim
to have seen these strange
lights with their own eyes.
I certainly have seen things
when I've been working
on Volcán de Colima,
which is another very dangerous
volcano in Mexico,
that I've not been able to explain.
I've seen lights, basically,
above the volcano.
There's one time when I was seeing
a hell of a lot of lightning at Colima,
but I also saw two stationary lights
above the crater.
Uh, they were there for a while.
They weren't stars, uh, and
then, suddenly, they vanished.
I don't know what caused them,
but there's obviously
a phenomenon there.
NARRATOR: Some
residents of Mexico City believe
the mysterious lights around El Popo are
related to an otherworldly being
known as Gregorio.
It is said that Gregorio often appears
in local towns before vanishing
without a trace.
ED BARNHART: Gregorio
is the spirit of the volcano,
but he's oftentimes seen as an old man
walking in robes around the base.
And when people see him,
they revere him.
NARRATOR: Might the mysterious
lights seen around El Popo
and other volcanoes have
an otherworldly connection?
To ufologists,
it's a distinct possibility,
and they point to the first UFO sighting
that made national headlines.
June 24, 1947.
Private pilot Kenneth Arnold is
on a solo flight
near this active volcano
when he suddenly spots
something strange in the sky.
CHILDRESS: Kenneth
Arnold saw what he described
as nine craft flying together
like a military formation,
flying at a very fast speed.
NARRATOR: According to Arnold's report,
the strange craft sped past him
at 1,200 miles per hour,
and then did something truly remarkable.
Kenneth Arnold witnessed
these mysterious craft
dart in between
Mount Rainier and Mount Adams,
and then even witnessed them
fly into Mount Adams.
So, is it possible that these UFOs
actually entered the volcano?
CHILDRESS: There have been
so many reports of UFOs.
Going inside volcanoes
all over the world.
When we look at this UFO activity,
that you have to wonder,
are volcanoes some kind of UFO base?
NARRATOR: Is it possible
that otherworldly beings
are attracted to volcanoes?
As far as ancient astronaut
theorists are concerned,
recent reports of flying craft
and mysterious beings around volcanoes
are simply the latest in a phenomenon
that dates back thousands of years.
In the mythologies
of many ancient cultures,
volcanoes were closely
connected to the gods.
You have Vulcan, of course,
in the Roman pantheon,
who was the the god of smithcraft,
who they said his forge
was in Mount Etna.
PAMELA JAYE SMITH: Vulcan
was the armorer of the gods,
made the swords, made the shields,
made the helmets,
and was the god
of a lot of other crafts.
NARRATOR: Ancient astronaut
theorists suggest that while
some mythological stories
about volcanoes are clearly
imaginative ways to portray
a powerful force of nature,
others, like the Roman accounts
of the god Vulcan,
read like historical events.
TSOUKALOS: The Romans themselves say
that they adopted
the legends from the Greeks,
who stated the earliest
metalsmith workers descended
from the sky and taught them
how to make swords
and, essentially, how to work metal.
It is my opinion that both
Greek and the Roman pantheon
of gods were
misinterpreted space travelers
who descended from the sky
a long time ago.
NARRATOR: Another legend that
ancient astronaut theorists associate
with an extraterrestrial event
can be found in Japan.
According to ancient Japanese folklore,
a mysterious child was discovered
at the base of Mount Fuji,
an active volcano.
We have a very fascinating story
around Mount Fuji, where, long ago,
Princess Kaguya was found,
at first, inside a glowing bamboo stalk.
DOMINIC STEAVU: The story
goes that a bamboo cutter found
a tiny little shining child.
Intrigued, he took the child home
and took care of it,
and within a space
of three months, only,
she had grown
into a beautiful young woman.
And her beauty was such
that she attracted many suitors.
But she rebuffed all of their advances
until the emperor fell in love with her.
They developed a close relationship,
but eventually she had to reveal
that she was not of this world.
And she told him, in fact,
that she came from the Moon.
TSOUKALOS: She was not of this Earth.
So then the story goes that a fleet
of celestial beings
descended from the sky,
put a cloak of feathers on her,
and together
they ascended into the heavens.
Well, I mean, who were they
and where did they come from?
This is, in my opinion,
one of those legends that perfectly fits
into the ancient astronaut theory,
because it involves
misunderstood technology,
and you have stories
of people descending from the sky
and rescuing one of their own.
To me, it's all
about the celestial visitor.
NARRATOR: Could ancient
stories like those of Princess Kaguya
and the Roman god Vulcan,
along with modern UFO sightings,
reveal that extraterrestrials
are drawn to volcanoes?
And if so, why?
Perhaps further clues can be found
by examining mysterious artifacts
discovered deep in the jungles
of Colombia.
An Airbus A320 is cruising
at 30,000 feet
on a routine flight en route to Bogotá.
As it approaches
a prominent volcano called
Nevado del Tolima,
the pilot notices
something strange in the clouds.
The plane is on autopilot.
When the pilot sees
what's out his cockpit window,
he picks up his phone,
and what he filmed was extraordinary.
It's an object zipping along
towards his plane.
So the pilot is able to use
the close-up on his camera
and sees that the object is
actually a flying cube
that is coming towards him
and flying right past him.
NARRATOR: Two years later, in May 2022,
a private pilot, also flying
near the same Tolima volcano,
captures footage of a metallic
diamond-shaped object
speeding past his aircraft.
And the next year,
a passenger on board a flight
from Bogotá to Salento
films a metallic, orb-like
object in the same location.
Three incredible UFO videos
in just four years,
all shot near Nevado del Tolima.
These are three
extraordinary videos of UFOs.
In fact, one has been called
the best UFO video of all time.
All three were taken in broad daylight.
All three show
what could only be described
as a metallic craft.
And all three were filmed
near the Tolima volcano.
You have to ask yourself,
what is going on here?
NARRATOR: Could these
three remarkable sightings
around the Tolima volcano be
evidence of extraterrestrial activity?
Ancient astronaut theorists
suggest clues may be found
by examining the volcano's
mysterious history.
SMITH: The Tolima
people of Colombia hold
their volcanic mountain of the same name
in great reverence
because, in their telling,
it is the place
where the life of Earth meets
the sky deities,
the life of the above land.
TSOUKALOS: The legends tell us
that this was a place
where humankind could meet and mingle
with the so-called gods.
And what's interesting to me is
that very curious
ancient artifacts were found
at Tolima.
NARRATOR: In the late 19th century,
tomb robbers exploring
the base of Nevado del Tolima
stumbled upon a gravesite
that dated back 1,500 years.
Among the funerary objects
found there were hundreds
of small two-to-three-inch-long
gold figurines.
TSOUKALOS: According to archaeologists,
in the ancient culture of the Tolima,
they specialized in creating
thousands of little gold objects
that they would put
in the tombs of the deceased,
essentially to pay off the journey
from the land of the living
to the land of the dead.
They were all
in the shape of fish, birds,
frogs, anything you can imagine.
But 17 look like modern-day planes.
We can clearly see
that the wings are attached
at the bottom of the fuselage,
and in the back of the fuselage
you actually have stabilizers.
This is not anything
that exists in nature.
NARRATOR: Could it be that
the ancient gold artifacts found
at the base of Nevado del Tolima
are really depictions
of flying vehicles?
CHILDRESS: The idea that
people could actually envision
modern airplanes at that time,
just as a-a speculation, seems
pretty, uh, fantastic, really.
And you would think that they are really
making these gold airplanes
after something they had genuinely seen.
TSOUKALOS: The ancient
astronaut theory suggests
the reason why they were
commemorating these things is
because they witnessed craft flying in
and flying out of these volcanoes.
And you have to wonder
if maybe our ancestors were
seeing the same things
we're seeing today.
NARRATOR: Is it possible
that the so-called
gold flyers are depictions
of extraterrestrial aircraft?
Ancient astronaut theorists say yes
and suggest further evidence
of a connection
between volcanoes
and otherworldly beings
can be found 250 miles south of Tolima
at the mysterious archaeological
site of San Agustín.
These ruins, located between
two massive volcanoes, are home
to over 500 enormous stone statues
that have been carved from volcanic rock
and are believed to date back
at least 1,500 years.
ROBERT SCHOCH: The people
who carved these sculptures
and lived there,
we really do not know
very much about them
because the whole area
seems to have been
abandoned by 1350 or so AD.
NARRATOR: While no one
knows for certain who created
the strange statues at San Agustín
or what they were meant to depict,
many researchers believe
they were inspired by the stories
of the Indigenous people.
Colombia has many
ancient legends of gods
who appeared as hybrids
with part human
and part animal features.
Some are depicted
as having vampire-like fangs.
And often these gods can shape-shift
into different forms.
CAROLINE WHITEHILL:
In the case of Colombia,
wherever we see volcanic systems,
the Native cultures
associate them with the gods.
One of the very curious things
about the carvings,
about the sculptures
is that they depict
figures that resemble animals,
but they're very obviously
humanoid forms,
which is very much
like depictions
of god beings in Colombia.
NARRATOR: Ancient astronaut
theorists suggest that,
considering the high number
of UFO sightings in Colombia
and the curious artifacts
that resemble modern-day aircraft,
these godlike beings were likely
extraterrestrial visitors.
TSOUKALOS: In the
ancient astronaut opinion,
the reason why that place
was created there is because
that was one of the so-called
first contact places
where our ancestors made
physical contact
with whomever descended from the sky.
NARRATOR: Could the
bizarre statues at San Agustín
and the reports of UFO activity
near Nevado del Tolima be
further evidence
that there is a long history
of extraterrestrial activity
around volcanoes?
And if so, what could be the reason?
Perhaps further clues can be found
by examining yet
another peak in Colombia
that is said to contain
a gateway to the realm of the gods.
NARRATOR: Tabio, Colombia.
This small town is the home
of one of the country's
most sacred peaks,
called La Peña de Juaica.
The mountain stands
over 10,000 feet tall,
and while it is not a volcano,
it is located
right between two hot spots
of volcanic activity.
The Paipa-Iza volcanic complex
to the east
and three major volcanoes to the west.
Peña de Juaica is not a volcano.
It's a very high peak.
But it is located in an area of Colombia
that is highly concentrated
with volcanoes.
And the Muisca people,
the Indigenous tribe there,
have a very sophisticated
cosmology concerning this peak.
They literally believe
that it is a dwelling place
of the divine beings.
They even refer to this peak
as the gateway to the gods.
For centuries,
people have been reporting
seeing mysterious lights
and even humanoid figures
coming and going from the summit.
NARRATOR: Among the many
mysterious sightings reported
at La Peña de Juaica is
a phenomenon known
as the dancing lights.
What happens is a strange orb
will appear at night
near Peña de Juaica,
and it will sometimes dance around.
And other times there'll be
a couple of orbs.
According to the Muisca,
they've been seeing these dancing lights
for hundreds of years.
BIRNES: What's interesting
is that the Muisca people say
that these dancing lights occur
when the gods
are traveling between
the Earth and the sky.
NARRATOR: In February 2022,
researcher and ufologist
Dan Zetterström traveled
to Colombia to investigate
the mysterious spectacle.
We set up cameras to watch the mountain
to see if we could capture
this phenomena.
Turns out we did.
What you're seeing here are
the dancing lights of La Peña de Juaica.
Light is splitting into multiple
orbs and forms a triangle.
And red and blue flashes either side,
which are known as redshift.
It's what astronomers see
when light passes by something
with a huge gravitational pull.
This is light on a mountain.
It shouldn't have
a huge gravitational pull.
As far as we could conclude,
there was no explanation
for these things.
NARRATOR: Could it be that the
footage Dan Zetterström recorded
over La Peña de Juaica
not only captured UFOs
but also reveals
a gravitational anomaly?
If so, what could be causing it?
HENRY: What's fascinating about this is
the Muisca people literally believe
that Peña de Juaica is
a gateway to the gods.
It seems that what they're actually
talking about is a stargate.
NARRATOR: A stargate?
Could this location
that the local Muisca people
call "gateway of the gods"
contain a real portal
through space and time?
Ancient astronaut theorists say yes
and suggest further support
for this notion can be found
on the opposite side of the world.
The island of Java, Indonesia.
On the southern coast lies
the city of Yogyakarta.
This sprawling metropolis
of more than four million people
extends up the slopes of Mount Merapi,
one of the world's
most active volcanoes.
Mount Merapi has erupted
regularly since 1548,
often causing explosive lava flows
and killing hundreds of people.
But while the volcano has completely
destroyed communities that have existed
at its base again and again,
the site is considered so sacred
to the Buddhist people
that they continue to rebuild
in this highly volatile area.
STEAVU: Mount Merapi
has a deep, uh,
mystical and religious meaning
to the people of-of Java.
It is believed
that under the mountain is
a very vast sacred kingdom
and an imperial city from which
the entire spiritual realm
of Java was governed.
NARRATOR: According to legend,
Mount Merapi is home
to powerful otherworldly beings.
The volcano served
as a kind of portal or a gate
between the human realm
and the realm of the divine.
Two legendary blacksmiths
created sacred weapons
at the site.
And those two blacksmiths
became the rulers
of a vast city under the mountain.
NARRATOR: The Javanese
legends are believed to date back
more than 2,000 years.
But what could have inspired
the idea that Mount Merapi
is hiding a portal
or a vast underground city?
As far as ancient astronaut
theorists are concerned,
clues can be found just
15 miles south of the volcano
at the temple of Borobudur.
Borobudur is exquisitely designed.
It has a series of galleries
built concentrically
around a central stupa.
Each of the concentric rings
represent a different realm
of existence in the Buddhist cosmos.
And just in the central stupa area,
there are over 70 Buddhist statues
housed in smaller stupas.
Stupa actually means
"celestial chariot,"
a way with which to reach
the celestial realm.
So, were these so-called gods
really extraterrestrials
who had some kind of base
at Mount Merapi?
I think that our ancestors witnessed
flying craft at this location
and they immortalized it in stone
because stone lasts forever.
HENRY: If this peak
is literally a portal
or a gateway that the gods are using
to come and go from,
that fulfills
the definition of a stargate,
a portal or gateway that leads
to other places on Earth or perhaps
even other locations in the stars.
NARRATOR: Could it be
that the Temple of Borobudur
memorializes extraterrestrial visitors
who are accessing a hidden alien base
or perhaps even a stargate
within Mount Merapi?
Perhaps further clues can be found
by examining modern encounters
in North America.
NARRATOR: In Northern California
stands Mount Shasta,
an active volcano
that towers above the landscape
at an elevation
of more than 14,000 feet.
This majestic peak attracts hikers,
skiers, and spiritual gatherings.
But it's also a destination
for people hoping to see
mysterious lights,
strange orbs, and UFOs.
BIRNES: Mount Shasta
is unquestionably a UFO hot spot.
People are seeing UFOs flying
in and out of the mountain at all times.
SWARTZ: The UFO activity that's been
reported around Mount Shasta
consists of solid,
metallic-looking craft in the daytime,
sometimes referred to as flying saucers
or metallic balls.
At night, you see what are called orbs
that display all kinds
of different colors.
CHILDRESS: So, for decades,
people have been traveling
and exploring and climbing Mount Shasta
because they think
that it attracts UFOs.
NARRATOR: In addition
to the modern UFO activity,
Native American tribes
in the area of Mount Shasta say
that stories of strange phenomena
occurring around the volcano
have been told
by their ancestors going back centuries.
For hundreds of years,
the Native population
have described UFO sightings,
strange lights that either
shoot out of Mount Shasta
or they go straight in.
And these cultures did speak
of physical beings
descending from the stars
and imparting knowledge.
SWARTZ: The Klamath people,
when they first came
to the area of Mount Shasta,
they said that they weren't
the first ones there,
that there was another race
of people living there
who welcomed them with open arms
and actually taught them agriculture,
astronomy, things like that.
And after a certain time,
these mystical people decided
that it was time for them to leave.
But they promised that someday
that they would return
in great sky crafts,
as they referred to them.
And the Klamath people have felt
that modern UFO sightings is
this promise
that they have finally returned.
NARRATOR: Similar stories are shared
by other local Native American tribes,
such as the Shasta, Modoc and Karuk.
JACK "WALKING EAGLE" THOM:
Down where I come from,
we have a place called Doctor Rock,
and that's where a lot of the Indians go
and-and do their ten-day
fasting and pray.
And there was an elder there
that told me
about the petroglyphs there,
and told me about the Star
Nation people coming down.
That we have been visited
by other planets,
other nations and stuff like that.
TSOUKALOS: What we have here is called
living mythology.
We know that First Nations people have
retained their oral traditions
perfectly to a T.
The original stories of somebody
descending from the sky
and imparting knowledge was
not invented,
it was not fantasy.
It happened in reality
by flesh and blood extraterrestrials
whom our ancestors
misinterpreted as gods.
NARRATOR: Do the oral traditions
of the local Native American
peoples reveal
that their ancestors encountered
extraterrestrial beings at Mount Shasta.
Perhaps further clues can
be found by examining accounts
that an entire civilization is hidden
within the volcano.
Mount Shasta itself has
a tremendous amount of lore,
of tunnels and secret rooms
and even some kind of ET base.
A number of books have been
written on this theme.
NARRATOR: In 1894,
a man named Frederick
Spencer Oliver proposed
that Mount Shasta was home
to a mysterious civilization
in his book A Dweller on Two Planets.
SWARTZ: Spencer Oliver wrote
that Mount Shasta was
the home of an ancient race,
of a remnant civilization
known today as Lemuria.
Lemuria was a continent
that supposedly existed
in the Pacific Ocean
and at some time in the past
had disappeared.
Those people who survived this disaster
immigrated to California
and created a city within Mount Shasta.
Now, this ancient civilization,
the Lemurians, are supposedly
high technology with flying machines
akin to the UFOs that we see today.
CHILDRESS: Is there a
connection between what Oliver wrote
and UFO sightings at Mount Shasta today?
Is it possible that there's
a UFO base in Mount Shasta
and it's been there for hundreds
if not thousands of years?
NARRATOR: Could the presence
of an alien base within Mount Shasta
be an explanation for the strange lights
that have been seen at this
volcano for thousands of years?
And if so,
might similar bases be located
in volcanoes around the world?
Ancient astronaut theorists say yes
and suggest another reason
that extraterrestrials
might be attracted
to these highly volatile locations
is because, while they are
agents of destruction,
they also produce
massive amounts of energy.
NARRATOR: A series of volcanic eruptions
on the south side of the island
launch a plume of ash and debris
26,000 feet into the atmosphere.
In a matter of hours, the cloud blankets
Western Europe and brings
air traffic to a halt.
The eruptions spark a media frenzy,
and the event is thoroughly
documented by news outlets.
The eruption wreaked havoc in Europe,
but there was a lot of video
taken around this volcano.
And what's interesting,
really interesting,
is that cameras captured
a strange, anomalous object
flying above the volcano.
The footage clearly shows
a V-shaped UFO flying slowly
through the volcanic ash.
It lingers there for several seconds,
almost like it's collecting
something from the cloud.
So you have to wonder,
why would it be there?
Why is it doing this?
Was it perhaps
an extraterrestrial craft?
NARRATOR: Is it merely a coincidence
that a UFO was sighted
over a volcano in Iceland
during a massive eruption?
Or does this sighting serve
as further evidence that there may be
otherworldly visitors on Earth
who seek out volcanoes?
But if so, what could be the purpose?
HENRY: Why would ETs or
UFOs be so interested in volcanoes?
One answer has to be
the tremendous power that is generated
by the volcanic activity.
SCHOCH: The Earth is constantly
releasing energy from its interior.
We have radioactivity
in the deep Earth,
and this radioactivity
gives off energy,
and so this energy escapes
from the surface of the Earth
in places like volcanoes.
NARRATOR: Could it be
that UFOs are somehow
drawing power from volcanoes?
While it may sound like science fiction,
since the 1970s,
the people of Iceland have tapped
into the geothermal energy of volcanoes.
VARLEY: Geothermal
energy is when we're actually
using the heat that is
associated with the volcano.
We can harness that energy
and convert it
to energy that we can use.
The Icelanders have been very successful
at using geothermal energy.
That involves drilling into areas
where you have hot water and steam
to drive up turbines and engines.
That is a very clean form of energy.
TSOUKALOS:
In Iceland, 25% of their energy
comes from geothermal sources,
meaning volcanoes.
Imagine if the rest of the world
can figure this out as well.
Volcanoes, if harnessed the right way,
could translate into an infinite
energy resource.
Is it possible that UFOs are
so often seen above volcanoes
because they are using them
as a type of energy?
According to theoretical physicists,
it is likely that a more advanced
extraterrestrial civilization
would know how to harness
the natural energy of planets
like that produced by volcanoes.
And there is even a ranking system
for theoretical ET civilizations
called the Kardashev scale.
TRAVIS TAYLOR: The Kardashev
scale was named after Kardashev,
the scientist who came up
with it back in the '60s.
It was an idea of a way to categorize
any civilization based
on the amount of energy
that they consume and can manipulate.
MICHIO KAKU: A Type I
civilization is planetary.
They mine the ocean,
they control the weather,
they control volcanoes.
Anything planetary, they control.
A Type II civilization is stellar.
They mine the sun.
For example, they could create
a sphere around the sun
that would absorb all the energy
emitted from the sun.
Then there's Type III,
which is galactic.
They roam the galactic space lanes.
They mine the energy
of entire star systems.
TAYLOR: We have
volcanoes all around the planet
that we have no idea how to manipulate.
A Kardashev level one culture
just a level one
would know how to use that
and turn that into energy
that could power
everything that culture
and civilization needs.
TSOUKALOS: What ancient
astronaut theorists are suggesting is
that extraterrestrials
who are traveling to Earth
have already become at least
a Type I civilization,
and that's why they're
attracted to our volcanoes.
We have to consider the possibility
that they have mastered
how to harness volcanic energy
in a way that we can't even imagine yet.
NARRATOR: Could tapping
into the power of volcanoes
unlock an unlimited supply of energy?
One that will enable humanity
to not only travel to other planets
but other stars?
It's an intriguing thought.
However, some scientists believe
there might be another reason
why extraterrestrials would be
attracted to volcanoes.
One that involves rare elements hidden
beneath the earth.
NARRATOR: Mysterious flying objects seen
disappearing into volcanoes
around the world.
Strange glowing orbs
that suddenly appear
over volcanic vents.
And V-shaped craft observed
in the sky during eruptions.
Could these UFOs be
extraterrestrial visitors
drawing energy from volcanoes?
According to some scientists,
there may be another possibility.
Why would an advanced
civilization from outer space
use volcanoes as one of their bases?
I personally think
that they would not come
to the Earth just to harness
the power of heat from volcanoes.
I think they'd do it for another reason,
and that is rare earth elements.
We, too, need rare earth elements
for our supercomputers,
for high-tech instruments,
for the space program.
And I think that's the reason
why they would be attracted,
because volcanoes connect you
to the center of the Earth.
A lot of these rare earth elements
are not found in abundance
on the surface of the Earth.
They're found underground.
And that's what volcanoes do.
They allow you to extract
these rare earth elements.
So I think that's the reason why
they would be attracted to volcanoes.
TAYLOR: Volcanoes
would be an ideal forge
for creating new materials.
It's already at the level
of molten everything.
If you had the ability
to manipulate the molten processes
with other materials to steer it
in a direction you want,
you might create
new metamaterials
and new material science
in that type of environment.
NARRATOR: Could it be
that otherworldly visitors
are mining volcanoes
for valuable resources?
Or are they an energy source
for alien spacecraft?
As far as ancient astronaut
theorists are concerned,
while further investigations
are required,
one thing is certain.
Evidence of a connection
between volcanoes
and extraterrestrials is undeniable.
CHILDRESS: Wherever we have volcanoes,
there seem to be stories
of these volcanoes
being connected to the gods.
And today, in modern times,
we're seeing a lot of UFO
or UAP activity
around volcanoes all over the world.
In South America,
in North America, like Mount Shasta.
In Iceland.
We've only just touched the surface
of these UFOs and volcanoes.
I mean, this demands more investigation.
HENRY: When you look at the large number
of sightings of UFOs at volcanoes,
it's very clear
that extraterrestrials have
an advanced way
of harvesting this energy
as a true power source.
While we might not be able
to perceive it
or to fully understand it,
an advanced civilization
likely would be able to.
Whether for space travel,
whether for opening up a portal.
I mean, what kind of science
are we talking about, exactly?
TSOUKALOS: When it comes to volcanoes,
there is so much
that is still a mystery to us.
And maybe, as we start
to understand more about them
and how to harness their energy,
we'll get closer to becoming
alien explorers ourselves.
NARRATOR: Since the
dawn of recorded history,
there have been legends
connecting volcanoes
with otherworldly beings.
Are recent videos
of UFOs around volcanoes
evidence that these stories
are not just the product
of our ancestors' imaginations?
And if so, might volcanoes also
provide a way to connect us
to other parts of the universe?
Perhaps when we learn
to harness the power
of volcanoes ourselves,
we will finally be able
to leave Earth
and take our place
among the stars.
CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY A+E NETWORKS
NARRATOR: Around the world,
volcanoes have long been known
to be UFO hot spots.
We're seeing UFOs
at volcanoes all over the world,
in South America, in Mexico,
North America and in Iceland.
NARRATOR: The ancient people
believed volcanoes were home to the gods.
Mount Merapi is the realm
of otherworldly beings.
NARRATOR: And some
volcanoes have even been described
as portals to other worlds.
The Muisca people literally believe
that a volcano is a stargate.
NARRATOR: Do these powerful
forces of nature have a connection
to extraterrestrials?
GIORGIO TSOUKALOS:
Volcanoes were first-contact places
where our ancestors
made physical contact
with whomever descended from the sky.
♪
NARRATOR: Residents
of this thriving metropolis
live in the shadow of a smoking
volcano called Popocatépetl.
Known as El Popo by the locals,
it has been erupting since 1994.
Webcams installed around the mountain
live stream images of its peak
so scientists can monitor
volcanic activity.
But early in the evening
of June 19, 2016,
the cameras capture something
completely unexpected.
These webcams run 24/7. They never stop.
But the volcano itself
is obscured by clouds.
But you can see the ash and the smoke
billowing out from a distance.
Suddenly, a dozen glowing orbs appear
and fly straight towards the volcano.
And everyone was wondering,
"What was that?"
NARRATOR: Days later,
another webcam captures
more mysterious lights
flying around the volcano.
But perhaps
the strangest event was captured
on January 24, 2017.
CHILDRESS: In the video,
you will see a small light emerge
from the top of El Popo.
It almost looks like
a tiny craft of some kind.
And moments later,
suddenly, there's a flash,
and then the small light
transforms into a glowing orb
and then shoots
straight up into the atmosphere.
It's one of the most
remarkable videos of an orb
that I've ever seen.
NARRATOR: Curiously, El
Popo is not the only volcano
where strange, glowing orbs
have been seen.
Similar objects have been recorded
at numerous other volcanoes
around the world.
And many scientists
who work on volcanoes claim
to have seen these strange
lights with their own eyes.
I certainly have seen things
when I've been working
on Volcán de Colima,
which is another very dangerous
volcano in Mexico,
that I've not been able to explain.
I've seen lights, basically,
above the volcano.
There's one time when I was seeing
a hell of a lot of lightning at Colima,
but I also saw two stationary lights
above the crater.
Uh, they were there for a while.
They weren't stars, uh, and
then, suddenly, they vanished.
I don't know what caused them,
but there's obviously
a phenomenon there.
NARRATOR: Some
residents of Mexico City believe
the mysterious lights around El Popo are
related to an otherworldly being
known as Gregorio.
It is said that Gregorio often appears
in local towns before vanishing
without a trace.
ED BARNHART: Gregorio
is the spirit of the volcano,
but he's oftentimes seen as an old man
walking in robes around the base.
And when people see him,
they revere him.
NARRATOR: Might the mysterious
lights seen around El Popo
and other volcanoes have
an otherworldly connection?
To ufologists,
it's a distinct possibility,
and they point to the first UFO sighting
that made national headlines.
June 24, 1947.
Private pilot Kenneth Arnold is
on a solo flight
near this active volcano
when he suddenly spots
something strange in the sky.
CHILDRESS: Kenneth
Arnold saw what he described
as nine craft flying together
like a military formation,
flying at a very fast speed.
NARRATOR: According to Arnold's report,
the strange craft sped past him
at 1,200 miles per hour,
and then did something truly remarkable.
Kenneth Arnold witnessed
these mysterious craft
dart in between
Mount Rainier and Mount Adams,
and then even witnessed them
fly into Mount Adams.
So, is it possible that these UFOs
actually entered the volcano?
CHILDRESS: There have been
so many reports of UFOs.
Going inside volcanoes
all over the world.
When we look at this UFO activity,
that you have to wonder,
are volcanoes some kind of UFO base?
NARRATOR: Is it possible
that otherworldly beings
are attracted to volcanoes?
As far as ancient astronaut
theorists are concerned,
recent reports of flying craft
and mysterious beings around volcanoes
are simply the latest in a phenomenon
that dates back thousands of years.
In the mythologies
of many ancient cultures,
volcanoes were closely
connected to the gods.
You have Vulcan, of course,
in the Roman pantheon,
who was the the god of smithcraft,
who they said his forge
was in Mount Etna.
PAMELA JAYE SMITH: Vulcan
was the armorer of the gods,
made the swords, made the shields,
made the helmets,
and was the god
of a lot of other crafts.
NARRATOR: Ancient astronaut
theorists suggest that while
some mythological stories
about volcanoes are clearly
imaginative ways to portray
a powerful force of nature,
others, like the Roman accounts
of the god Vulcan,
read like historical events.
TSOUKALOS: The Romans themselves say
that they adopted
the legends from the Greeks,
who stated the earliest
metalsmith workers descended
from the sky and taught them
how to make swords
and, essentially, how to work metal.
It is my opinion that both
Greek and the Roman pantheon
of gods were
misinterpreted space travelers
who descended from the sky
a long time ago.
NARRATOR: Another legend that
ancient astronaut theorists associate
with an extraterrestrial event
can be found in Japan.
According to ancient Japanese folklore,
a mysterious child was discovered
at the base of Mount Fuji,
an active volcano.
We have a very fascinating story
around Mount Fuji, where, long ago,
Princess Kaguya was found,
at first, inside a glowing bamboo stalk.
DOMINIC STEAVU: The story
goes that a bamboo cutter found
a tiny little shining child.
Intrigued, he took the child home
and took care of it,
and within a space
of three months, only,
she had grown
into a beautiful young woman.
And her beauty was such
that she attracted many suitors.
But she rebuffed all of their advances
until the emperor fell in love with her.
They developed a close relationship,
but eventually she had to reveal
that she was not of this world.
And she told him, in fact,
that she came from the Moon.
TSOUKALOS: She was not of this Earth.
So then the story goes that a fleet
of celestial beings
descended from the sky,
put a cloak of feathers on her,
and together
they ascended into the heavens.
Well, I mean, who were they
and where did they come from?
This is, in my opinion,
one of those legends that perfectly fits
into the ancient astronaut theory,
because it involves
misunderstood technology,
and you have stories
of people descending from the sky
and rescuing one of their own.
To me, it's all
about the celestial visitor.
NARRATOR: Could ancient
stories like those of Princess Kaguya
and the Roman god Vulcan,
along with modern UFO sightings,
reveal that extraterrestrials
are drawn to volcanoes?
And if so, why?
Perhaps further clues can be found
by examining mysterious artifacts
discovered deep in the jungles
of Colombia.
An Airbus A320 is cruising
at 30,000 feet
on a routine flight en route to Bogotá.
As it approaches
a prominent volcano called
Nevado del Tolima,
the pilot notices
something strange in the clouds.
The plane is on autopilot.
When the pilot sees
what's out his cockpit window,
he picks up his phone,
and what he filmed was extraordinary.
It's an object zipping along
towards his plane.
So the pilot is able to use
the close-up on his camera
and sees that the object is
actually a flying cube
that is coming towards him
and flying right past him.
NARRATOR: Two years later, in May 2022,
a private pilot, also flying
near the same Tolima volcano,
captures footage of a metallic
diamond-shaped object
speeding past his aircraft.
And the next year,
a passenger on board a flight
from Bogotá to Salento
films a metallic, orb-like
object in the same location.
Three incredible UFO videos
in just four years,
all shot near Nevado del Tolima.
These are three
extraordinary videos of UFOs.
In fact, one has been called
the best UFO video of all time.
All three were taken in broad daylight.
All three show
what could only be described
as a metallic craft.
And all three were filmed
near the Tolima volcano.
You have to ask yourself,
what is going on here?
NARRATOR: Could these
three remarkable sightings
around the Tolima volcano be
evidence of extraterrestrial activity?
Ancient astronaut theorists
suggest clues may be found
by examining the volcano's
mysterious history.
SMITH: The Tolima
people of Colombia hold
their volcanic mountain of the same name
in great reverence
because, in their telling,
it is the place
where the life of Earth meets
the sky deities,
the life of the above land.
TSOUKALOS: The legends tell us
that this was a place
where humankind could meet and mingle
with the so-called gods.
And what's interesting to me is
that very curious
ancient artifacts were found
at Tolima.
NARRATOR: In the late 19th century,
tomb robbers exploring
the base of Nevado del Tolima
stumbled upon a gravesite
that dated back 1,500 years.
Among the funerary objects
found there were hundreds
of small two-to-three-inch-long
gold figurines.
TSOUKALOS: According to archaeologists,
in the ancient culture of the Tolima,
they specialized in creating
thousands of little gold objects
that they would put
in the tombs of the deceased,
essentially to pay off the journey
from the land of the living
to the land of the dead.
They were all
in the shape of fish, birds,
frogs, anything you can imagine.
But 17 look like modern-day planes.
We can clearly see
that the wings are attached
at the bottom of the fuselage,
and in the back of the fuselage
you actually have stabilizers.
This is not anything
that exists in nature.
NARRATOR: Could it be that
the ancient gold artifacts found
at the base of Nevado del Tolima
are really depictions
of flying vehicles?
CHILDRESS: The idea that
people could actually envision
modern airplanes at that time,
just as a-a speculation, seems
pretty, uh, fantastic, really.
And you would think that they are really
making these gold airplanes
after something they had genuinely seen.
TSOUKALOS: The ancient
astronaut theory suggests
the reason why they were
commemorating these things is
because they witnessed craft flying in
and flying out of these volcanoes.
And you have to wonder
if maybe our ancestors were
seeing the same things
we're seeing today.
NARRATOR: Is it possible
that the so-called
gold flyers are depictions
of extraterrestrial aircraft?
Ancient astronaut theorists say yes
and suggest further evidence
of a connection
between volcanoes
and otherworldly beings
can be found 250 miles south of Tolima
at the mysterious archaeological
site of San Agustín.
These ruins, located between
two massive volcanoes, are home
to over 500 enormous stone statues
that have been carved from volcanic rock
and are believed to date back
at least 1,500 years.
ROBERT SCHOCH: The people
who carved these sculptures
and lived there,
we really do not know
very much about them
because the whole area
seems to have been
abandoned by 1350 or so AD.
NARRATOR: While no one
knows for certain who created
the strange statues at San Agustín
or what they were meant to depict,
many researchers believe
they were inspired by the stories
of the Indigenous people.
Colombia has many
ancient legends of gods
who appeared as hybrids
with part human
and part animal features.
Some are depicted
as having vampire-like fangs.
And often these gods can shape-shift
into different forms.
CAROLINE WHITEHILL:
In the case of Colombia,
wherever we see volcanic systems,
the Native cultures
associate them with the gods.
One of the very curious things
about the carvings,
about the sculptures
is that they depict
figures that resemble animals,
but they're very obviously
humanoid forms,
which is very much
like depictions
of god beings in Colombia.
NARRATOR: Ancient astronaut
theorists suggest that,
considering the high number
of UFO sightings in Colombia
and the curious artifacts
that resemble modern-day aircraft,
these godlike beings were likely
extraterrestrial visitors.
TSOUKALOS: In the
ancient astronaut opinion,
the reason why that place
was created there is because
that was one of the so-called
first contact places
where our ancestors made
physical contact
with whomever descended from the sky.
NARRATOR: Could the
bizarre statues at San Agustín
and the reports of UFO activity
near Nevado del Tolima be
further evidence
that there is a long history
of extraterrestrial activity
around volcanoes?
And if so, what could be the reason?
Perhaps further clues can be found
by examining yet
another peak in Colombia
that is said to contain
a gateway to the realm of the gods.
NARRATOR: Tabio, Colombia.
This small town is the home
of one of the country's
most sacred peaks,
called La Peña de Juaica.
The mountain stands
over 10,000 feet tall,
and while it is not a volcano,
it is located
right between two hot spots
of volcanic activity.
The Paipa-Iza volcanic complex
to the east
and three major volcanoes to the west.
Peña de Juaica is not a volcano.
It's a very high peak.
But it is located in an area of Colombia
that is highly concentrated
with volcanoes.
And the Muisca people,
the Indigenous tribe there,
have a very sophisticated
cosmology concerning this peak.
They literally believe
that it is a dwelling place
of the divine beings.
They even refer to this peak
as the gateway to the gods.
For centuries,
people have been reporting
seeing mysterious lights
and even humanoid figures
coming and going from the summit.
NARRATOR: Among the many
mysterious sightings reported
at La Peña de Juaica is
a phenomenon known
as the dancing lights.
What happens is a strange orb
will appear at night
near Peña de Juaica,
and it will sometimes dance around.
And other times there'll be
a couple of orbs.
According to the Muisca,
they've been seeing these dancing lights
for hundreds of years.
BIRNES: What's interesting
is that the Muisca people say
that these dancing lights occur
when the gods
are traveling between
the Earth and the sky.
NARRATOR: In February 2022,
researcher and ufologist
Dan Zetterström traveled
to Colombia to investigate
the mysterious spectacle.
We set up cameras to watch the mountain
to see if we could capture
this phenomena.
Turns out we did.
What you're seeing here are
the dancing lights of La Peña de Juaica.
Light is splitting into multiple
orbs and forms a triangle.
And red and blue flashes either side,
which are known as redshift.
It's what astronomers see
when light passes by something
with a huge gravitational pull.
This is light on a mountain.
It shouldn't have
a huge gravitational pull.
As far as we could conclude,
there was no explanation
for these things.
NARRATOR: Could it be that the
footage Dan Zetterström recorded
over La Peña de Juaica
not only captured UFOs
but also reveals
a gravitational anomaly?
If so, what could be causing it?
HENRY: What's fascinating about this is
the Muisca people literally believe
that Peña de Juaica is
a gateway to the gods.
It seems that what they're actually
talking about is a stargate.
NARRATOR: A stargate?
Could this location
that the local Muisca people
call "gateway of the gods"
contain a real portal
through space and time?
Ancient astronaut theorists say yes
and suggest further support
for this notion can be found
on the opposite side of the world.
The island of Java, Indonesia.
On the southern coast lies
the city of Yogyakarta.
This sprawling metropolis
of more than four million people
extends up the slopes of Mount Merapi,
one of the world's
most active volcanoes.
Mount Merapi has erupted
regularly since 1548,
often causing explosive lava flows
and killing hundreds of people.
But while the volcano has completely
destroyed communities that have existed
at its base again and again,
the site is considered so sacred
to the Buddhist people
that they continue to rebuild
in this highly volatile area.
STEAVU: Mount Merapi
has a deep, uh,
mystical and religious meaning
to the people of-of Java.
It is believed
that under the mountain is
a very vast sacred kingdom
and an imperial city from which
the entire spiritual realm
of Java was governed.
NARRATOR: According to legend,
Mount Merapi is home
to powerful otherworldly beings.
The volcano served
as a kind of portal or a gate
between the human realm
and the realm of the divine.
Two legendary blacksmiths
created sacred weapons
at the site.
And those two blacksmiths
became the rulers
of a vast city under the mountain.
NARRATOR: The Javanese
legends are believed to date back
more than 2,000 years.
But what could have inspired
the idea that Mount Merapi
is hiding a portal
or a vast underground city?
As far as ancient astronaut
theorists are concerned,
clues can be found just
15 miles south of the volcano
at the temple of Borobudur.
Borobudur is exquisitely designed.
It has a series of galleries
built concentrically
around a central stupa.
Each of the concentric rings
represent a different realm
of existence in the Buddhist cosmos.
And just in the central stupa area,
there are over 70 Buddhist statues
housed in smaller stupas.
Stupa actually means
"celestial chariot,"
a way with which to reach
the celestial realm.
So, were these so-called gods
really extraterrestrials
who had some kind of base
at Mount Merapi?
I think that our ancestors witnessed
flying craft at this location
and they immortalized it in stone
because stone lasts forever.
HENRY: If this peak
is literally a portal
or a gateway that the gods are using
to come and go from,
that fulfills
the definition of a stargate,
a portal or gateway that leads
to other places on Earth or perhaps
even other locations in the stars.
NARRATOR: Could it be
that the Temple of Borobudur
memorializes extraterrestrial visitors
who are accessing a hidden alien base
or perhaps even a stargate
within Mount Merapi?
Perhaps further clues can be found
by examining modern encounters
in North America.
NARRATOR: In Northern California
stands Mount Shasta,
an active volcano
that towers above the landscape
at an elevation
of more than 14,000 feet.
This majestic peak attracts hikers,
skiers, and spiritual gatherings.
But it's also a destination
for people hoping to see
mysterious lights,
strange orbs, and UFOs.
BIRNES: Mount Shasta
is unquestionably a UFO hot spot.
People are seeing UFOs flying
in and out of the mountain at all times.
SWARTZ: The UFO activity that's been
reported around Mount Shasta
consists of solid,
metallic-looking craft in the daytime,
sometimes referred to as flying saucers
or metallic balls.
At night, you see what are called orbs
that display all kinds
of different colors.
CHILDRESS: So, for decades,
people have been traveling
and exploring and climbing Mount Shasta
because they think
that it attracts UFOs.
NARRATOR: In addition
to the modern UFO activity,
Native American tribes
in the area of Mount Shasta say
that stories of strange phenomena
occurring around the volcano
have been told
by their ancestors going back centuries.
For hundreds of years,
the Native population
have described UFO sightings,
strange lights that either
shoot out of Mount Shasta
or they go straight in.
And these cultures did speak
of physical beings
descending from the stars
and imparting knowledge.
SWARTZ: The Klamath people,
when they first came
to the area of Mount Shasta,
they said that they weren't
the first ones there,
that there was another race
of people living there
who welcomed them with open arms
and actually taught them agriculture,
astronomy, things like that.
And after a certain time,
these mystical people decided
that it was time for them to leave.
But they promised that someday
that they would return
in great sky crafts,
as they referred to them.
And the Klamath people have felt
that modern UFO sightings is
this promise
that they have finally returned.
NARRATOR: Similar stories are shared
by other local Native American tribes,
such as the Shasta, Modoc and Karuk.
JACK "WALKING EAGLE" THOM:
Down where I come from,
we have a place called Doctor Rock,
and that's where a lot of the Indians go
and-and do their ten-day
fasting and pray.
And there was an elder there
that told me
about the petroglyphs there,
and told me about the Star
Nation people coming down.
That we have been visited
by other planets,
other nations and stuff like that.
TSOUKALOS: What we have here is called
living mythology.
We know that First Nations people have
retained their oral traditions
perfectly to a T.
The original stories of somebody
descending from the sky
and imparting knowledge was
not invented,
it was not fantasy.
It happened in reality
by flesh and blood extraterrestrials
whom our ancestors
misinterpreted as gods.
NARRATOR: Do the oral traditions
of the local Native American
peoples reveal
that their ancestors encountered
extraterrestrial beings at Mount Shasta.
Perhaps further clues can
be found by examining accounts
that an entire civilization is hidden
within the volcano.
Mount Shasta itself has
a tremendous amount of lore,
of tunnels and secret rooms
and even some kind of ET base.
A number of books have been
written on this theme.
NARRATOR: In 1894,
a man named Frederick
Spencer Oliver proposed
that Mount Shasta was home
to a mysterious civilization
in his book A Dweller on Two Planets.
SWARTZ: Spencer Oliver wrote
that Mount Shasta was
the home of an ancient race,
of a remnant civilization
known today as Lemuria.
Lemuria was a continent
that supposedly existed
in the Pacific Ocean
and at some time in the past
had disappeared.
Those people who survived this disaster
immigrated to California
and created a city within Mount Shasta.
Now, this ancient civilization,
the Lemurians, are supposedly
high technology with flying machines
akin to the UFOs that we see today.
CHILDRESS: Is there a
connection between what Oliver wrote
and UFO sightings at Mount Shasta today?
Is it possible that there's
a UFO base in Mount Shasta
and it's been there for hundreds
if not thousands of years?
NARRATOR: Could the presence
of an alien base within Mount Shasta
be an explanation for the strange lights
that have been seen at this
volcano for thousands of years?
And if so,
might similar bases be located
in volcanoes around the world?
Ancient astronaut theorists say yes
and suggest another reason
that extraterrestrials
might be attracted
to these highly volatile locations
is because, while they are
agents of destruction,
they also produce
massive amounts of energy.
NARRATOR: A series of volcanic eruptions
on the south side of the island
launch a plume of ash and debris
26,000 feet into the atmosphere.
In a matter of hours, the cloud blankets
Western Europe and brings
air traffic to a halt.
The eruptions spark a media frenzy,
and the event is thoroughly
documented by news outlets.
The eruption wreaked havoc in Europe,
but there was a lot of video
taken around this volcano.
And what's interesting,
really interesting,
is that cameras captured
a strange, anomalous object
flying above the volcano.
The footage clearly shows
a V-shaped UFO flying slowly
through the volcanic ash.
It lingers there for several seconds,
almost like it's collecting
something from the cloud.
So you have to wonder,
why would it be there?
Why is it doing this?
Was it perhaps
an extraterrestrial craft?
NARRATOR: Is it merely a coincidence
that a UFO was sighted
over a volcano in Iceland
during a massive eruption?
Or does this sighting serve
as further evidence that there may be
otherworldly visitors on Earth
who seek out volcanoes?
But if so, what could be the purpose?
HENRY: Why would ETs or
UFOs be so interested in volcanoes?
One answer has to be
the tremendous power that is generated
by the volcanic activity.
SCHOCH: The Earth is constantly
releasing energy from its interior.
We have radioactivity
in the deep Earth,
and this radioactivity
gives off energy,
and so this energy escapes
from the surface of the Earth
in places like volcanoes.
NARRATOR: Could it be
that UFOs are somehow
drawing power from volcanoes?
While it may sound like science fiction,
since the 1970s,
the people of Iceland have tapped
into the geothermal energy of volcanoes.
VARLEY: Geothermal
energy is when we're actually
using the heat that is
associated with the volcano.
We can harness that energy
and convert it
to energy that we can use.
The Icelanders have been very successful
at using geothermal energy.
That involves drilling into areas
where you have hot water and steam
to drive up turbines and engines.
That is a very clean form of energy.
TSOUKALOS:
In Iceland, 25% of their energy
comes from geothermal sources,
meaning volcanoes.
Imagine if the rest of the world
can figure this out as well.
Volcanoes, if harnessed the right way,
could translate into an infinite
energy resource.
Is it possible that UFOs are
so often seen above volcanoes
because they are using them
as a type of energy?
According to theoretical physicists,
it is likely that a more advanced
extraterrestrial civilization
would know how to harness
the natural energy of planets
like that produced by volcanoes.
And there is even a ranking system
for theoretical ET civilizations
called the Kardashev scale.
TRAVIS TAYLOR: The Kardashev
scale was named after Kardashev,
the scientist who came up
with it back in the '60s.
It was an idea of a way to categorize
any civilization based
on the amount of energy
that they consume and can manipulate.
MICHIO KAKU: A Type I
civilization is planetary.
They mine the ocean,
they control the weather,
they control volcanoes.
Anything planetary, they control.
A Type II civilization is stellar.
They mine the sun.
For example, they could create
a sphere around the sun
that would absorb all the energy
emitted from the sun.
Then there's Type III,
which is galactic.
They roam the galactic space lanes.
They mine the energy
of entire star systems.
TAYLOR: We have
volcanoes all around the planet
that we have no idea how to manipulate.
A Kardashev level one culture
just a level one
would know how to use that
and turn that into energy
that could power
everything that culture
and civilization needs.
TSOUKALOS: What ancient
astronaut theorists are suggesting is
that extraterrestrials
who are traveling to Earth
have already become at least
a Type I civilization,
and that's why they're
attracted to our volcanoes.
We have to consider the possibility
that they have mastered
how to harness volcanic energy
in a way that we can't even imagine yet.
NARRATOR: Could tapping
into the power of volcanoes
unlock an unlimited supply of energy?
One that will enable humanity
to not only travel to other planets
but other stars?
It's an intriguing thought.
However, some scientists believe
there might be another reason
why extraterrestrials would be
attracted to volcanoes.
One that involves rare elements hidden
beneath the earth.
NARRATOR: Mysterious flying objects seen
disappearing into volcanoes
around the world.
Strange glowing orbs
that suddenly appear
over volcanic vents.
And V-shaped craft observed
in the sky during eruptions.
Could these UFOs be
extraterrestrial visitors
drawing energy from volcanoes?
According to some scientists,
there may be another possibility.
Why would an advanced
civilization from outer space
use volcanoes as one of their bases?
I personally think
that they would not come
to the Earth just to harness
the power of heat from volcanoes.
I think they'd do it for another reason,
and that is rare earth elements.
We, too, need rare earth elements
for our supercomputers,
for high-tech instruments,
for the space program.
And I think that's the reason
why they would be attracted,
because volcanoes connect you
to the center of the Earth.
A lot of these rare earth elements
are not found in abundance
on the surface of the Earth.
They're found underground.
And that's what volcanoes do.
They allow you to extract
these rare earth elements.
So I think that's the reason why
they would be attracted to volcanoes.
TAYLOR: Volcanoes
would be an ideal forge
for creating new materials.
It's already at the level
of molten everything.
If you had the ability
to manipulate the molten processes
with other materials to steer it
in a direction you want,
you might create
new metamaterials
and new material science
in that type of environment.
NARRATOR: Could it be
that otherworldly visitors
are mining volcanoes
for valuable resources?
Or are they an energy source
for alien spacecraft?
As far as ancient astronaut
theorists are concerned,
while further investigations
are required,
one thing is certain.
Evidence of a connection
between volcanoes
and extraterrestrials is undeniable.
CHILDRESS: Wherever we have volcanoes,
there seem to be stories
of these volcanoes
being connected to the gods.
And today, in modern times,
we're seeing a lot of UFO
or UAP activity
around volcanoes all over the world.
In South America,
in North America, like Mount Shasta.
In Iceland.
We've only just touched the surface
of these UFOs and volcanoes.
I mean, this demands more investigation.
HENRY: When you look at the large number
of sightings of UFOs at volcanoes,
it's very clear
that extraterrestrials have
an advanced way
of harvesting this energy
as a true power source.
While we might not be able
to perceive it
or to fully understand it,
an advanced civilization
likely would be able to.
Whether for space travel,
whether for opening up a portal.
I mean, what kind of science
are we talking about, exactly?
TSOUKALOS: When it comes to volcanoes,
there is so much
that is still a mystery to us.
And maybe, as we start
to understand more about them
and how to harness their energy,
we'll get closer to becoming
alien explorers ourselves.
NARRATOR: Since the
dawn of recorded history,
there have been legends
connecting volcanoes
with otherworldly beings.
Are recent videos
of UFOs around volcanoes
evidence that these stories
are not just the product
of our ancestors' imaginations?
And if so, might volcanoes also
provide a way to connect us
to other parts of the universe?
Perhaps when we learn
to harness the power
of volcanoes ourselves,
we will finally be able
to leave Earth
and take our place
among the stars.
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