‘The cycle of cosmic catastrophes: flood, fire and famine in the history of civilisation’ by Firestone, West and Warwick-Smith offers a very detailed scenario to explain the cosmic event which culminated about 13,000 years ago. The authors postulate a supernova explosion – which is apparently probable.
The sequence of events presented in this book is as follows: an initial radiation wave, affecting mainly Southeast Asia and Australia, about 41,000 years ago; the first shock wave, “unnoticed by those on Earth” about 34,000 years ago; the second shock wave about 16,000 years ago; and a most destructive debris wave about 13,000 years ago. It was this wave which caused the horrendous damage experienced by all on Earth; and it seemed to have impacted on other parts of the solar system as well.
“Much of the human race perished in or near Southeast Asia” from the first radiation wave. However, “Human genetic mutation led to a larger brain size, fostering art, music, and a burst of creativity.” There were, overall, significantly adverse water-and-ice effects, as well as climate-related effects and biosystem effects – all pretty horrible – from the bombardments. The survivors among Native American tribes provided evidence of their experience of the terrible events which culminated about 13,000 years ago. These are quoted in the book.
Yet, about 45,000 to 30,000 years ago, Cro-Magnon humans, who were “like human people,” “appeared suddenly,” and Neanderthal humans “began to disappear or assimilate.”
One nearby supernova explosion led to all that? What was the alternative – total annihilation of all forms of life on Earth? Except possibly the ubiquitous bacterium!
RAJA ARASA RATNAM 