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Alternative History The heat generated by these forces evaporated seas. In realised that his theories might conflict with accepted ideas, some places torrential downpours formed great streams run- but not actually conflict with the facts. ning through recently opened fissures in the Earth’s crust Z “ which suddenly eroded the landscape. Elsewhere, snow fell 4 and covered ae land with a ice sheets. At the poles, Rising From Amnesia a permanent snowcover grew as the land cooled. Climatic changes, ice cover, mountain building and the reverse magnetic orientation of rocks are explained by Velikovsky theorised that humanity suffered a collective Velikovsky’s theory of cosmic catastrophe. However, the amnesia on the subject of catastrophes. As a reaction to the accepted view of the Earth’s geological history is known as repeated near-destruction of human civilization, a deep scar uniformitarianism; where the gradual workings of natural has been left on the human psyche. Although the solar system forces has produced the world as we know it. Needless to say, has been settled for 2,700 years, he notes a 700 year cycle in the Velikovsky aroused as great a controversy in geology as he had human collective consciousness. Christianity in the Ist Cen- previously in archaeology and astronomy. The defenders of tury AD and Islam in th 7th were both founded on apocalyptic uniformitarianism disliked Velikovsky’s ideas at least as visions of the transformation of the world by fire. The 14th much as their fellow scientists had. Century was the time of the Black Death and the Hundred Years War which reduced the population of Wester Europe Velikovsky Attacked . eal fear was that in the 21st Century this trauma would be re-enacted by humanity, who is now in possession of the means of its own destruction. Publication of Worlds in Collision caused a violent reaction; An examination of the facts may help the recall of our racial astronomers everywhere denounced and decried the book. memory, the suppression of which could be the cause of great They threatened to blackban Macmillan, the publisher, who violence in our history was forced to withdraw the book from circulation. Under pressure, Macmillan transferted publication rights to Dou- The Books of Velikovsky bleday, who did not have a textbook department and burned , J Worlds in Collision ©1950 their unsold copies. Ages in Chaos ©1952 In reviews in reputable journals and public statements, Earth in Upheaval ©1955 academics and scientists even criticised some of Velikovsky's Oedipus and Akhnaton ©1960 works before anyone had read the manuscript. Conferences Peoples of the Sea ©1977 were held to show Velikovsky’s theorics were wrong. Ramses Il and His Time ©1978 Velikovsky died on November 17th 1979 at the age of 84. Mankind in Amnesia ©1982 As more is learned about our solar system, some scientists have - Gerard NEXUS New Times Seven - Summer 1989 realised that his theories might conflict with accepted ideas, but not actually conflict with the facts. The heat generated by these forces evaporated seas. In some places torrential downpours formed great streams run- ning through recently opened fissures in the Earth’s crust which suddenly eroded the landscape. Elsewhere, snow fell and covered the land with continental ice sheets. At the poles, a permanent snowcover grew as the land cooled, Climatic changes, ice cover, mountain building and the reverse magnetic orientation of rocks are explained by Velikovsky’s theory of cosmic catastrophe. However, the accepted view of the Earth’s geological history is known as uniformitarianism, where the gradual workings of natural forces has produced the world as we know it. Needless to say, Velikovsky aroused as great acontroversy in geology as he had previously in archaeology and astronomy. The defenders of uniformitarianism disliked Velikovsky’s ideas at least as much as their fellow scientists had. Rising From Amnesia Velikovsky theorised that humanity suffered a collective amnesia on the subject of catastrophes. As a reaction to the repeated near-destruction of human civilization, a deep scar has been left on the human psyche. Although the solar system has been settled for 2,700 years, he notes a 700 year cycle in the human collective consciousness. Christianity in the Ist Cen- tury AD and Islam in th 7th were both founded on apocalyptic visions of the transformation of the world by fire. The 14th Century was the time of the Black Death and the Hundred Years War which reduced the population of Wester Europe by two-thirds. Velikovsky’s fear was that in the 21st Century this trauma would be re-enacted by humanity, who is now in possession of the means of its own destruction. Anexamination of the facts may help the recall of our racial memory, the suppression of which could be the cause of great violence in our history ¥ Velikovsky Attacked Publication of Worlds in Collision caused a violent reaction; astronomers everywhere denounced and decried the book. They threatened to blackban Macmillan, the publisher, who was forced to withdraw the book from circulation. Under pressure, Macmillan transferted publication rights to Dou- bleday, who did not have a textbook department and burned their unsold copies. In reviews in reputable journals and public statements, academics and scientists even criticised some of Velikovsky's works before anyone had read the manuscript. Conferences were held to show Velikovsky’s theories were wrong. Velikovsky died on November 17th 1979 at the age of 84. As more is learned about our solar system, some scientists have Worlds in Collision Ages in Chaos Earth in Upheaval Oedipus and Akhnaton Peoples of the Sea Ramses Ll and His Time Mankind in Amnesia ©1950 ©1952 ©1955 ©1960 ©1977 ©1978 ©1982 - Gerard NEXUS New Times Seven - Summer 1989 — r——C ee Alternative History The Books of Velikovsky