Dr. David S. Anderson is an archaeologist and assistant professor at Radford University in Virginia specializes in the study of pseudo archaeology. He joins us to talk about his new book Weirding Archaeology, Unearthing the Strange Influences on the pop culture perception of archaeology. The show has been mean to death watched by hundreds of millions of people over the course of its run since 2009 when it premiered as a two-hour documentary special that was swiftly adapted into a series.
On this Live Show Beg-a-Thon, recorded on May 17, we discuss the pop culture phenomenon and appeal of pseudoarchaeology in its many forms, from fraudulent alternative history books like Erich von Däniken's 1968 book, Chariots of the Gods? Unsolved Mysteries of the Past, to television series like "Ancient Aliens" and "Ancient Apocalypse."
Alongside guest Dr. David S. Anderson, we discuss how phony "what if?" theories often go beyond the goofy, guilty pleasure premises of extraterrestrial visitors and lost civilizations to promote Eurocentric, racist pap and a mindless distrust of "the scientific establishment" in the stupidest and least productive way possible.