Ancient Aliens — The Ancient Astronaut Society and the Research Community
Ancient Aliens — The Ancient Astronaut Society and the Research Community
Overview
The ancient alien hypothesis has generated an extensive institutional infrastructure of research organizations, publications, conferences, and media productions. This article documents the principal organizations and publications that have sustained the ancient alien research community from the 1970s to the present.
The Ancient Astronaut Society (AAS)
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1973 |
| Founder | Gene Phillips, Chicago, Illinois |
| Purpose | Investigate von Daniken's claims; coordinate international ancient alien research |
| Publication | Ancient Skies (newsletter/journal) |
| Annual conference | World Conference on Ancient Astronaut Research; held annually in various locations |
| Membership peak | Several thousand members across multiple countries |
| Relationship to von Daniken | Von Daniken was an honorary member and regular conference speaker |
| Status | Evolved into the AAS RA (Ancient Alien Society Research Association) under Giorgio Tsoukalos |
The AAS RA (Ancient Alien Society Research Association)
Following the founding Ancient Astronaut Society, Giorgio Tsoukalos restructured the organization as the AAS RA and became its director in partnership with von Daniken. The AAS RA:
- Published Legendary Times magazine (editor: Giorgio Tsoukalos)
- Organized international conferences on ancient alien research
- Served as the institutional foundation for Tsoukalos's subsequent History Channel involvement
Legendary Times Magazine
Legendary Times — published by Giorgio Tsoukalos — was the primary English-language periodical of the ancient alien research community before the History Channel series made the subject a mainstream television franchise. It featured articles by von Daniken, Childress, and other proponents, as well as announcements of archaeological discoveries framed through the ancient alien interpretive lens.
Adventures Unlimited Press
Adventures Unlimited Press, founded by David Hatcher Childress in 1984, is the most prolific publisher of ancient alien and alternative archaeology literature. Its catalog includes dozens of titles by Childress, von Daniken, Sitchin, and affiliated authors on topics from ancient flying machines to lost civilizations to Vimanas. It functions as the publishing infrastructure for the ancient alien research community.
The History Channel Ecosystem
The History Channel's Ancient Aliens series (2009–present) has transformed what was a niche research community into a global cultural phenomenon. The series spawned:
- Multiple spin-off programs (In Search of Aliens with Tsoukalos; various themed specials)
- A social media community of millions of followers
- Tourism to sites featured in the series
- A generation of viewers whose primary introduction to ancient history was through the ancient alien framework
Coast to Coast AM
The American late-night radio program Coast to Coast AM — the successor to Art Bell's Coast to Coast — has been a consistent platform for ancient alien researchers since the 1990s. Sitchin, Childress, Hancock, and dozens of other researchers have made regular appearances. The show's massive overnight audience (estimated at 2.75 million nightly listeners) provided a sustained national platform for ancient alien ideas outside the publishing industry.
Academic Journals That Engage
Very few academic journals publish articles engaging with ancient alien claims. The few that do include:
- Journal of Scientific Exploration — a peer-reviewed journal that occasionally publishes papers on anomalous phenomena including ancient mysteries
- Cryptozoology and related fringe-adjacent journals
- Mainstream journals occasionally publish direct rebuttals (e.g., studies of specific site construction methods) without engaging the alien hypothesis directly
