This episode explores whether humanity's ancient fascination with Mars stems from extraterrestrial contact rather than simple sky-watching. Ancient astronaut theorists point to Mars appearing on Egypt's 1534 BC Senenmut star map and the tomb ceiling of Seti I, suggesting the red planet held special significance across cultures. The episode argues that modern Mars probes have photographed anomalies—including the famous "Face on Mars" and pyramid-like Twin Peaks formations—that NASA may be concealing from the public. Theorists highlight that ancient Sumerian and Babylonian texts allegedly describe a cataclysmic event on Mars, while the Maya's Dresden Codex purportedly shows Mars playing a key role in their cosmology. The central question: did our ancestors have direct knowledge of Mars through alien visitors from that world?
Mainstream astronomers note that Mars is easily visible to the naked eye and distinctly red—qualities that naturally drew attention from every ancient civilization that studied the night sky. The association with war gods like Roman Mars, Greek Ares, and Babylonian Nergal likely stems from the planet's blood-red color, not extraterrestrial contact. NASA scientists explain that the "Face on Mars" and similar formations are products of pareidolia and low-resolution imaging; higher-quality photos reveal ordinary geological features. For skeptics, the episode remains compelling because it traces genuine ancient astronomical records and grapples with real scientific questions about Mars's past habitability, even if the alien hypothesis requires extraordinary evidence that hasn't materialized.
Cave of Altamira
Spain · Magdalenian / Upper Paleolithic
Paintings created 35,000 years ago with artistic sophistication impossible for primitive humans
Dresden Codex
Germany · Maya
Ancient astronaut theorists argue that the Dresden Codex's detailed Mars almanac—tracking the 780-day synodic period of Mars—reflects a profound and possibly extraterrestrially-informed Mayan understanding of the red planet, connecting the feathered serpent myth to an actual catastrophic event on Mars. Mainstream scholars regard the Dresden Codex as a sophisticated astronomical almanac created by Mayan scribes to track celestial cycles for calendrical and ritual purposes.
Dresden Codex Maya Site
Mexico · Maya
The show claims Mars played an important role in Maya astrology as described in the Dresden Codex, suggesting a possible extraterrestrial connection or hidden knowledge about the red planet.
Lascaux Cave
France · Cro-Magnon / Upper Paleolithic
Cave paintings dating to 17,000 years ago depict beings in what appear to be spacesuits
Lyot Crater, Mars
Mars · Mars
Physicist John Brandenburg argues the Lyot crater's 125-mile diameter impact was so devastating it could have stripped Mars of its atmosphere and ended any civilization there, an event echoed in Sumerian and Mayan myths. Mainstream planetary scientists acknowledge the crater as evidence of a major ancient impact event that contributed to Mars' atmospheric loss.
Senenmut Star Map
Egypt · Ancient Egyptian
Ancient Egyptian astronomers recorded the planet Mars on this celestial chart, suggesting that ancients possessed advanced astronomical knowledge and may have had extraterrestrial influences guiding their understanding of the cosmos.
Senenmut Star Map Location (Temple of Hatshepsut)
Egypt · Ancient Egyptian
The show notes that ancient Egyptian astronomers created the Senenmut star map, which was the first record of Mars on a chart of the cosmos, suggesting ancient knowledge of Mars and a possible extraterrestrial connection.
Sumerian and Babylonian Origin Sites (Mesopotamia)
Iraq · Sumerian
The show cites modern translations of Sumerian and Babylonian origin myths that record a cataclysmic event occurring on Mars, implying extraterrestrial knowledge of the red planet.
Twin Peaks, Mars (Ares Vallis)
Mars · Mars
Ancient astronaut theorists, citing Dr. John Brandenburg, argue that the Twin Peaks are anomalous mountain formations far from any volcanic region on Mars, suggesting possible artificial origin and drawing comparisons to the Giza Plateau pyramids. Mainstream scientists regard the Twin Peaks as natural geological formations photographed by the Pathfinder mission in 1997.