"The Silurian Hypothesis" is a scientific theory that suggests that advanced civilizations might have existed on Earth millions of years ago, during the Silurian period, which occurred around 420 to 440 million years ago.
The theory was put forth by Gavin A. Schmidt and Adam Frank, both climate scientists at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, in a paper published in the International Journal of Astrobiology in 2018. In the paper, they argue that if an advanced civilization had existed during the Silurian period, there would be very little evidence of their existence left on Earth today, due to the geological processes that have occurred over the intervening millions of years.
The Silurian period is known for its explosion of biodiversity, including the emergence of the first land plants and the evolution of a wide range of marine invertebrates. Schmidt and Frank suggest that an advanced civilization during this period could have evolved independently of the human race, and may have even gone extinct before the first mammals appeared.
The authors point out that the geological record from the Silurian period is not well understood, and that it is possible that any evidence of an advanced civilization could have been eroded or subducted into the Earth's mantle. In addition, they suggest that any artifacts left behind by such a civilization could have been indistinguishable from natural features due to the long period of geological transformation.
Schmidt and Frank do not claim to have evidence of an ancient civilization, but rather argue that the lack of evidence does not necessarily rule out the possibility of such a civilization having existed. They suggest that future research into the geological history of the Earth may shed more light on this fascinating topic.
The Silurian Hypothesis has captured the imagination of many people, as it challenges our assumptions about the history of the Earth and our place in the universe. While it remains a highly speculative theory, it serves as a reminder of the vastness of geological time and the mysteries that still remain to be uncovered.
