Why do nearly all the world's major religions share such 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--and the answer is as wondrous and awe-inspiring as it is controversial: the winged angels populating the Bible, 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 the ancient lore really? How can the contradictions in the Bible be explained? What is the miracle in Fátima, Portugal, really about? Why are the pagodas of Myanmar (formerly Burma) so amazingly similar to space-capable rockets? Erich von Däniken provides convincing new, 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. Offering persuasive evidence that actual living beings inspired the legends that became the basis for many of our religious traditions. Intellectually challenging and provocative, these findings shake the foundations of both science and faith.