Man, "Chariots of the Gods"? That's a wild ride. So, I had lunch with Erich von Däniken recently, and let me tell you, he's still all in on that stuff. The guy is in his 80s now but still super passionate about ancient aliens and all that.

I mean, the book is fascinating if you're into exploring the idea of lost civilizations and advanced cultures. He points to things like the Mayan stone plaque in Palenque, where it looks like a dude is piloting a spaceship. It’s compelling imagery, for sure! But, honestly, there's a lot of nonsense mixed in with the intriguing theories.

I've been following folks like Graham Hancock who are doing legit research and finding evidence that civilization might be way older than we thought. So, while von Däniken stirred the pot and got people thinking outside the box, some of it feels a bit over the top.

But hey, that's part of what makes these conversations so exciting. You can't just dismiss it all out of hand—there’s always a layer of truth in these crazy theories. Just gotta look at it with some skepticism and a hint of wonder, you know?