Bestselling author Erich von Däniken explores the evidence of ancient visitors treated as gods in religious scripture and mythology. His findings shake the foundations of both science and faith.

Why do nearly all the world’s major religions share similar myths and legends? Whether it’s the Old Testament, ancient legends, or the creation myths of New Zealand’s natives, you come across similar stories everywhere. Erich von Däniken, author of the international bestseller Chariots of the Gods, believes he knows the answer—and it is as wondrous and awe-inspiring as it is controversial: The winged angels populating the Bible, the Koran, and other religious texts from cultures the world over were, in reality, extraterrestrials who visited the Earth in ages long past.

Who were the gods of ancient lore? How can the contradictions in the Bible be explained? Why are the pagodas of Myanmar (formerly Burma) so amazingly similar to space-capable rockets? Erich von Däniken provides convincing new and surprising interpretations and answers that fundamentally contradict both the teachings of religion and current science. His astonishing conclusion: The gods were not metaphysical beings that humans created in their imagination, but extraterrestrial intelligences that have left their traces all over the Earth. He offers persuasive evidence that actual living beings inspired the legends that became the basis for many of our religious traditions.

Erich von Däniken is arguably the most widely read and most-copied nonfiction author in the world. He published his first (and best-known) book, Chariots of the Gods, in 1968. The worldwide best seller was followed by 40 more books and his works have been translated into 28 languages and have sold more than 65 million copies. Several have, also, been made into films.