Could the darkest recesses of our planet contain important information left by our ancient ancestors? And within Earth's mysterious caves, might we find evidence of otherworldly contact? Throughout human history, some caves have been considered sacred places for spiritual encounter and enlightenment, while others have been feared as true portals to purgatory. What happens in these subterranean spaces that has the power to influence religions around the globe? Could some of Earth's deepest caverns be secret conduits to supernatural realms? In Charma, India, archeologists recently discovered 10,000 year-old prehistoric artwork of what appears to be extraterrestrial beings. Could these paintings be a visual record of alien encounters in the distant past?

The Great Sphinx in Giza is the largest and most studied monolithic sculpture on Earth, yet it remains one of humanities greatest mysteries. This ancient monolith defies explanation, pre-dates our earliest known civilizations and may hide the secrets of our very origins. While mainstream archeology theorizes that the Sphinx was built around 2500 BC, geological evidence suggests it is much older. If this is true, then who--or what--created the Sphinx? Researchers are now proposing the existence of a second, twin Sphinx on the Giza Plateau. If so, has it been deliberately hidden from mankind? The face of the Sphinx is believed to represent Egyptian pharaoh Khafra, yet the size and proportion of the massive carving suggests the head has been altered. Could the statue have originally represented an otherworldly being that came to Earth some 10,000 years ago, as Ancient Astronaut theorists propose?

For thousands of years, in cultures throughout the world, people have practiced elaborate techniques to preserve the human body after death. The ancient Egyptians believed mummification ensured entrance into the next life. Buddhist monks in Japan practiced a shocking self-mummification process that began before death in the hopes of becoming a "living Buddha." And the Incas consulted the mummified remains of their kings to discuss affairs of state and the future. Ancient Astronaut theorists believe the global practice of mummification is not a coincidence, but proof that highly advanced extraterrestrials visited Earth in the distant past. Could our ancestors have witnessed a form of biological hibernation and then mimicked it with mummification? Could mummification have been an attempt to recreate suspended animation so often connected to extraterrestrial space travel? Or could the intention have been to preserve the body for future DNA removal?

With infrared satellite technology detecting pyramids hidden underneath the sand in Egypt and airborne laser sensors discovering long lost pyramids beneath the jungles of Central America, many believe we have entered a new pyramid era--an age of discovery that will be marked by unimaginable new findings. 21st century excavations are also revealing fascinating new facts about pyramids that could potentially rewrite history. Archaeologists now believe the ancient pyramids in Peru are older than the Egyptian pyramids, and a recently surveyed megalithic site in Indonesia is now suspected to be a step pyramid built by a long lost civilization 20,000 years ago. But what can explain ancient man's apparent obsession with building pyramids? Ancient Astronaut theorists believe the world pyramid phenomena is not a coincidence, but evidence that Earth's earliest inhabitants may have had help from extraterrestrials.

Is there evidence of ancient technology buried beneath the ice of the most southern continent?

In the 21st century, technology is heading in a radical new direction--the merging of man and machine. Smart drugs, nanorobots, and machine-printed organs are just a few of the cutting-edge innovations catalyzing the evolution of humankind into an entirely new species. Transhumanists envision a future in which we become cyborgs, achieving far superior intelligence, the ability to survive beyond Earth's atmosphere without a spacesuit, and the possibility of immortality. But might similarly superhuman beings have walked the Earth once before? Beings that our ancestors regarded as gods? Ancient Astronaut theorists say yes, and suggest that we are simply following the course they set us on from the very beginning of mankind--to transcend our flesh and become like our extraterrestrial creators.

Millions of people around the world believe we have been visited in the past by extraterrestrial beings. What if it were true? This is the question Ancient Astronaut theorists have posed since Erich von Daniken's Chariots of the Gods was first published in 1968; examining scientific, archaeological, astronomical, and historical evidence to find the answer. In recent years, more new evidence has been revealed than ever before that suggests there was extraterrestrial intervention on Earth in the distant past. Satellite images have exposed geoglyphs resembling Nazca lines in Kazakhstan. Ground penetrating radar has detected remnants of ancient technology in Machu Picchu. And thermal scanning has uncovered hidden chambers behind King Tut's tomb that may hold the remains of extraterrestrial beings. Could we be at the tipping point where the overwhelming evidence outweighs any last shred of doubt?

In 2013, former Canadian Minister of Defense, Paul Hellyer, made a shocking claim--that there is a federation of extraterrestrial beings monitoring and guiding humanity. But why would such an esteemed politician make such a controversial announcement? Ancient Astronaut theorists believe evidence can be found throughout history to prove his claims are true. Stories of emperors, kings and pharaohs consulting a pantheon of nine gods can be found in virtually every culture across the globe. Even channeling sessions conducted by CIA scientists in the 1950s connected with an otherworldly group of entities called "The Nine" -- extraterrestrials here to influence the events on Earth. Could there be an intergalactic council of nine secretly working behind the scenes, dictating the course of humanity?

According to legend, an ancient curse was placed upon the tomb of King Tutankhamun, and when that tomb was opened in 1922, a series of terrible events occurred. A curse was also placed on King Tut's father Akhenaten, and during the rehearsal of a play dramatizing the lifting of this curse, similar tragedies followed. Could a curse truly exist, but in the form of alien technology that is protecting an incredible secret about our past? Is there hidden power in the words inscribed on so-called "magic bricks" found in King Tut's tomb, or in those contained in the play to lift Akhenaten's curse that are connected to some extraterrestrial force? Ancient Astronaut theorists suggest that The Pharaohs' Curse was put in place to protect not only the truth about an otherworldly event in our past, but also an extraterrestrial device--a device that some believe still exists today, buried deep beneath the Earth... on Oak Island.

Extraterrestrials are almost always envisioned as humanoid, but is this an egocentric concept? Could it be that intelligent alien life looks much different from us, and that some extraterrestrials more closely resemble other animals? And is it possible that many of the animals that roam the Earth have otherworldly origins? By examining ancient cultures around the world, we find that nearly all revered certain animals and depicted their gods with animal traits. The Sanskrit epics of India feature gods in the form of elephants, monkeys, and snakes. The Sumerians depicted gods with bird heads and wings. And in Egypt, not only did they portray many of the gods with animal features, but they even went so far as to mummify their animals. Ancient Astronaut theorists suggest that certain animals may not have developed through Darwinian evolution, but were planted here by alien visitors.

Across the globe, over 1.5 billion people believe in reincarnation, the belief that a soul can be reborn into a different body after death. Major universities worldwide have departments devoted to the study of reincarnation and according to their research there is a mounting body of evidence that suggests some people have the ability to vividly recall past lives. Ancient Astronaut Theorists suggest that not only does reincarnation exist, but our extraterrestrial ancestors specifically designed the human body to be a vessel for otherworldly entities. World leaders, like the Dalai Lama and even Saddam Hussein, claim to be the reincarnations of powerful figures from the past–figures with an extraterrestrial connection. If souls are indeed recycling through various embodiments, is this simply the natural continuation of life–or might this process be directed towards some greater end? One that reaches far beyond Earth?

In Honshu, Japan, stands one of the country's oldest and holiest Shinto shrines--the Ishi-no-Hoden megalith. Carved from a single rock and weighing roughly 500 tons, it appears to hover over a pool of water, and according to Japanese legend, it was built to depict a sky ship made of stone that the ancient people witnessed descending from the heavens. Ishi-no-Hoden is just one of numerous megalithic structures found throughout Japan commemorating a time when the gods--or, perhaps, extraterrestrial beings--descended to Earth. Centuries old texts describe in vivid diagrams strange craft that have appeared in the sky and on the shores. And satellite images of Mars have revealed keyhole-shaped structures identical to some of Japan's oldest tombs. Could Japan's origins lie beyond Earth, and might a surge of recent UFO sightings provide clues that the island nation provides the key to reconnecting mankind with its extraterrestrial past?

Could giant ancient drawings found etched into the desert floor be part of an ancient alien code?

Could Area 51's notoriety act as a cover up to much bigger, top-secret extraterrestrial experiments taking place at multiple locations?

Was Egypt home to Earth's earliest extraterrestrial visitors? Ancient Astronaut theorist Giorgio A. Tsoukalos explores the latest scientific discoveries at some of the world's most ancient places to find evidence that extraterrestrials visited Egypt in the distant past.

A look at whether or not intelligent robots are a threat to humanity or the next step in human evolution; as man and machine begin to merge, humanity could be fulfilling a destiny prepared for by aliens thousands of years ago.

Erich von Däniken's "Chariots of the Gods?" suggests that aliens visited Earth in the distant past, and there are those who believe that he will be proven right.

In this extraordinary two-hour special, Shatner will bring thought-provoking questions to the leading experts of the show. Ancient Astronaut theorists Giorgio Tsoukalos, Erich von D niken, David Childress, William Henry and Linda Moulton Howe will be joined by former British Ministry of Defense investigator Nick Pope, rocket scientist Dr. Travis Taylor, theoretical physicist Dr. Michio Kaku, and religious history experts Rabbi Ariel Bar Tzadok and Reverend Michael Carter. They will explore everything from human origins to groundbreaking archaeological finds, new understandings of the cosmos and the profound possibility that we are not alone in the universe.

Ancient Aliens is counting down the world's top ten most mysterious sites, from the towering Moai statues of Easter Island to the enormous megalithic blocks of Stonehenge to the precision cut stones of Puma Punku. Could these extraordinary places provide evidence of extraterrestrial visitation?

Ancient Aliens has traveled to many mysterious sites that seem to defy explanation. Now, Giorgio Tsoukalos takes a look back at some of the most incredible structures we’ve visited all over the world. Structures that, as far as Giorgio is concerned, provide undeniable evidence of extraterrestrial contact.

Ancient Aliens has examined the oldest and most mysterious rock art on Earth up close, and Giorgio Tsoukalos takes a look back at the incredible hieroglyphs, petroglyphs, and geoglyphs that he believes tell a worldwide story of alien visitation.

In the 20th century, a mysterious British woman who claimed to be the reincarnation of an ancient Egyptian priestess shocked Egyptologists by accurately locating countless structures and artifacts in the Nile Valley. Could it be that she was carrying out an otherworldly agenda–and preparing for the return of the Egyptian gods?

The towering obelisks of ancient Egypt weigh hundreds of tons and each was perfectly carved from a single granite rock. While mainstream scholars identify them as monuments to the pharaohs, Ancient Astronaut Theorists suggest they may have served a technological purpose–they powered a technology that allowed for communication with the gods who came from the stars.

Ancient Aliens is counting down the world’s top ten pyramid sites, from a valley in Peru with over 250 hidden pyramids to an ancient Greek city with mysterious 4800-year-old ruins to Egypt’s famous Giza Plateau. Could the extraordinary structures that stand at these sites provide evidence of extraterrestrial visitation?

Around the world and throughout history, people have reported seeing very similar types of unidentified objects in the sky. Now, Ancient Aliens is counting down the top ten alien craft, from V-shaped objects to orbs of light to flying saucers. Could the ubiquity of these sightings provide evidence of extraterrestrial visitation?

In the early 1900s, a modern-day prophet from the hills of Kentucky became a worldwide sensation: Edgar Cayce. He claimed to receive visions of both the past and the future while in a trance, he healed the sick, and alleged to have encounters with otherworldly beings. Could it be that Edgar Cayce was a vessel used to carry out an alien agenda?

Did a biblical patriarch receive instructions from 200 Angels high above the earth? Were the ancient Greeks taught how to work metal by a race of fish-people? And might Egypt's most controversial Pharoah have been an extraterrestrial being? Giorgio Tsoukalos looks at mysterious teachers who have appeared throughout history and reveals The Top Ten Alien Influencers who he believes provide the ultimate proof of extraterrestrial contact...

Deep beneath the sands of Egypt lie 24 enormous sarcophagi, and every one of them is empty; discussing what purpose those giant tombs had served.