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It‘s Probably (not) Aliens!

History Podcasts

Was Earth really visited by mysterious extraterrestrial travelers thousands of years ago as many proponents of ”ancient astronaut theory” believe? What are the hidden secrets and mysteries behind ancient monuments and forgotten civilizations? Every week, historian Tristan Johnson and regular human person Scott Niswander dive through the archives to learn about the fascinating histories of ancient civilizations while also debunking the myths and straight-up lies presented in History Channel‘s massively popular tv show Ancient Aliens that has sparked a new generation of conspiracy theorists. We hope through this show, you can gain an appreciation for just how cool ancient societies were, and not simply credit their impressive advancements to alien visitors. NEW EPISODES EVERY WEEK! Follow the show so you don‘t miss an episode, and leave us a review! It really helps us out!

Location:

United States

Description:

Was Earth really visited by mysterious extraterrestrial travelers thousands of years ago as many proponents of ”ancient astronaut theory” believe? What are the hidden secrets and mysteries behind ancient monuments and forgotten civilizations? Every week, historian Tristan Johnson and regular human person Scott Niswander dive through the archives to learn about the fascinating histories of ancient civilizations while also debunking the myths and straight-up lies presented in History Channel‘s massively popular tv show Ancient Aliens that has sparked a new generation of conspiracy theorists. We hope through this show, you can gain an appreciation for just how cool ancient societies were, and not simply credit their impressive advancements to alien visitors. NEW EPISODES EVERY WEEK! Follow the show so you don‘t miss an episode, and leave us a review! It really helps us out!

Language:

English


Episodes
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The One Where We Finally Talk About Garrus

1/14/2025
Join Scott and Tristan for a chaotic post-season Q&A where they tackle everything from their favourite fictional aliens to conspiracy theories they almost believed. Get ready for tangents into video games, surprising revelations about research rabbit holes, and an unexpectedly passionate debate about the correct pronunciation of poutine. This episode features questions from our space potato supporters and includes multiple bits about Muppets because, apparently, that's where we're at now. Plus, there is the truth about why we disappeared for four months (spoiler: we just forgot to tell anyone we were taking a break). Get new episodes early and support the show on Patreon and Nebula! Subscribe to It's Probably (not) Aliens for weekly episodes about cool ancient history! And give us a 5-star review if you have the time. It really helps us out! Tristan Johnson Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Scott Niswander Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Follow the show on Bluesky or Twitter for more updates! Ask us questions and send us topics to talk about at ProbsNotAliens.com Music by Rod Kim | Cover art by Skutch See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Duration:01:07:10

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Montauk: The Conspiracy Theory That Inspired Better Fiction

1/7/2025
Let's explore the bizarre world of the Montauk Project, where recovered memories meet Cold War paranoia to create one of America's wildest conspiracy theories. We explore how a decommissioned military base somehow became ground zero for alleged government experiments in mind control, time travel, and alien contact. We'll examine their "recovered memories" spawned an entire conspiracy industry, and trace the project's influence on pop culture from The X-Men to Stranger Things. And for no reason a disturbing tangent about lab-grown brains that will haunt your dreams. Get new episodes early and support the show on Patreon and Nebula! Subscribe to It's Probably (not) Aliens for weekly episodes about cool ancient history! And give us a 5-star review if you have the time. It really helps us out! Tristan Johnson Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Scott Niswander Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Follow the show on Bluesky or Twitter for more updates! Ask us questions and send us topics to talk about at ProbsNotAliens.com Music by Rod Kim | Cover art by Skutch See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Duration:01:22:07

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The Great New Jersey Drone Panic of 2024

12/31/2024
In late 2024, New Jersey became the epicenter of a nationwide panic when mysterious large drones started appearing over military installations, power lines, and even Trump's golf course. From the Morris County sightings to the Coast Guard's encounter with a dozen coordinated drones, we dive into what's really happening, why everyone's freaking out, and how this fits into America's long history of technology panics. Plus, why you probably shouldn't shoot down any drones, even if they're really annoying you. Get new episodes early and support the show on Patreon and Nebula! Subscribe to It's Probably (not) Aliens for weekly episodes about cool ancient history! And give us a 5-star review if you have the time. It really helps us out! Tristan Johnson Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Scott Niswander Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Follow the show on Bluesky or Twitter for more updates! Ask us questions and send us topics to talk about at ProbsNotAliens.com Music by Rod Kim | Cover art by Skutch See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Duration:01:27:31

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Ancient Aliens Can't Melt Stone Beams

12/24/2024
Scott and Tristan melt down Ancient Aliens' claims about Scotland's mysterious vitrified forts. Through terrible Scottish accents and unexpected detours into modern battery technology, they explore how Iron Age Scots used sophisticated fire management techniques to create these unique structures - no alien death rays required. Learn why turning your fort's stones into glass might actually be a terrible defensive strategy, why Ancient Aliens should have watched Outlander for better research, and how climate change is threatening these fascinating historical sites. Features bonus content about cryogenically frozen corpses and why you shouldn't let ivy grow on your house. Get new episodes early and support the show on Patreon and Nebula! Subscribe to It's Probably (not) Aliens for weekly episodes about cool ancient history! And give us a 5-star review if you have the time. It really helps us out! Tristan Johnson Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Scott Niswander Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Follow the show on Bluesky or Twitter for more updates! Ask us questions and send us topics to talk about at ProbsNotAliens.com Music by Rod Kim | Cover art by Skutch See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Duration:00:48:27

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The Ancient Greek Scientist Who Didn't Build a Death Ray

12/17/2024
Join us as we dive into one of ancient history's most persistent myths: Archimedes' legendary death ray. From Ancient Aliens' claims of extraterrestrial technology to Mythbusters' multiple attempts to recreate it, we explore how this mathematical genius became associated with a weapon that probably never existed. But don't worry - we'll also discover the actually-awesome Claw of Archimedes, talk about why steampunk deserved better, and learn how the same principles behind this mythical death ray are now being used to fight climate change. Plus: why running naked through the streets shouting "Eureka" probably didn't happen either (sorry). Get new episodes early and support the show on Patreon and Nebula! Subscribe to It's Probably (not) Aliens for weekly episodes about cool ancient history! And give us a 5-star review if you have the time. It really helps us out! Tristan Johnson Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Scott Niswander Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Follow the show on Bluesky or Twitter for more updates! Ask us questions and send us topics to talk about at ProbsNotAliens.com Music by Rod Kim | Cover art by Skutch See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Duration:01:05:56

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Ancient Aliens Really Need To Stop Making Things Up About Alexander (the Great)

12/10/2024
Was Alexander the Great's historic campaign into India really halted by alien intervention? Ancient astronaut theorists say yes (of course they do), claiming mysterious flying shields scared his war elephants. We dive into the actual historical records, discuss why troops might not want to march through mountain deserts with elephants, and explore how one of history's most influential figures became the subject of pseudohistorical alien theories. Plus, we learn way too much about medieval siege tactics involving hot sand and... other substances. Check out Dael Kingsmill here. Get new episodes early and support the show on Patreon and Nebula! Subscribe to It's Probably (not) Aliens for weekly episodes about cool ancient history! And give us a 5-star review if you have the time. It really helps us out! Tristan Johnson Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Scott Niswander Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Follow the show on Bluesky or Twitter for more updates! Ask us questions and send us topics to talk about at ProbsNotAliens.com Music by Rod Kim | Cover art by Skutch See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Duration:01:20:02

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Thunder Gods Don't Need Plasma Rifles

12/3/2024
Ancient Aliens claims that mythological super-weapons - from Zeus's thunderbolts to Poseidon's trident - were actually advanced alien technology misinterpreted by ancient peoples. But what if these legendary artifacts were actually serving a different purpose? Join us as we explore how these weapons represented divine authority, natural forces, and cultural values rather than extraterrestrial tech. We'll dive into Sumerian tablets of destiny, Greek divine arsenals, and other mythological weapons to show how removing cultural context leads to some pretty wild alien theories. Plus, we discuss why ancient peoples were perfectly capable of creating compelling stories without extraterrestrial intervention. Get new episodes early and support the show on Patreon and Nebula! Subscribe to It's Probably (not) Aliens for weekly episodes about cool ancient history! And give us a 5-star review if you have the time. It really helps us out! Tristan Johnson Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Scott Niswander Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Follow the show on Bluesky or Twitter for more updates! Ask us questions and send us topics to talk about at ProbsNotAliens.com Music by Rod Kim | Cover art by Skutch See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Duration:00:42:53

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Chariots of Liar: The Truth About Ancient 'Spaceships'

11/26/2024
From fiery chariots in the Bible to flying turtles in Native American mythology, ancient stories are full of fantastic flying vehicles and creatures. But while Ancient Aliens insists these are proof of extraterrestrial technology, we dive into the real cultural and religious significance behind these myths. Join us as we explore how ancient astronaut theorists strip away the rich symbolic meaning of sacred stories to push their alien agenda, and learn why a flying turtle teaching humility makes way more sense than an alien spaceship in disguise. Get new episodes early and support the show on Patreon and Nebula! Subscribe to It's Probably (not) Aliens for weekly episodes about cool ancient history! And give us a 5-star review if you have the time. It really helps us out! Tristan Johnson Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Scott Niswander Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Follow the show on Bluesky or Twitter for more updates! Ask us questions and send us topics to talk about at ProbsNotAliens.com Music by Rod Kim | Cover art by Skutch See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Duration:01:05:47

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Beer, Pizza, and Big Rocks: How Ancient Buildings Were Actually Made

11/19/2024
From the Great Pyramids to Baalbek, ancient astronaut theorists claim that mysterious acoustic levitation technology was used to move massive stones. But what happens when you actually look at the physics of sound? Join us as we explore the real engineering achievements of ancient civilizations, debunk the myths around acoustic levitation, and discover why using sound waves to move massive rocks would literally liquidize human organs. Plus, we'll dive into the actual historical evidence of how these magnificent structures were built - spoiler alert: it involved a lot of beer. Get new episodes early and support the show on Patreon and Nebula! Subscribe to It's Probably (not) Aliens for weekly episodes about cool ancient history! And give us a 5-star review if you have the time. It really helps us out! Tristan Johnson Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Scott Niswander Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Follow the show on Bluesky or Twitter for more updates! Ask us questions and send us topics to talk about at ProbsNotAliens.com Music by Rod Kim | Cover art by Skutch See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Duration:01:11:14

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Jericho: Aliens Love Their Bass Drops ft. Tom Nicholas

11/12/2024
Ancient Aliens claims the walls of Jericho were destroyed by advanced alien sonic weapons powered by the Ark of the Covenant. Plus: The best Veggie Tales songs, medieval siege tactics, and why aliens with faster-than-light technology probably would have just invented gunpowder instead. Check out our guest this week Tom Nicholas. Get new episodes early and support the show on Patreon and Nebula! Subscribe to It's Probably (not) Aliens for weekly episodes about cool ancient history! And give us a 5-star review if you have the time. It really helps us out! Tristan Johnson Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Scott Niswander Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Follow the show on Bluesky or Twitter for more updates! Ask us questions and send us topics to talk about at ProbsNotAliens.com Music by Rod Kim | Cover art by Skutch See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Duration:01:12:57

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Why Ancient People Could Actually Art

11/5/2024
From Egyptian sun disks to Mayan turtle sculptures, watch in horror as Ancient Aliens transforms religious symbols into spaceships, completely ignoring centuries of cultural context and artistic expression. Learn about the actual meanings behind these ancient artworks while questioning why Ancient Aliens thinks people from the past were incapable of abstract thought or, you know, just making cool stuff because they wanted to. Features special appearances by the sun god Ra, some very meaningful turtles, and self-described-expternally-described-as-modern-day-indiana-jones David Childress make baffling claims about cave paintings. Get new episodes early and support the show on Patreon and Nebula! Subscribe to It's Probably (not) Aliens for weekly episodes about cool ancient history! And give us a 5-star review if you have the time. It really helps us out! Tristan Johnson Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Scott Niswander Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Follow the show on Bluesky or Twitter for more updates! Ask us questions and send us topics to talk about at ProbsNotAliens.com Music by Rod Kim | Cover art by Skutch See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Duration:01:01:14

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We Goofed: The Sandwich That Didn't Start World War I

10/29/2024
Gavrilo Princip probably wasn't munching on a sandwich when he decided to kick off World War I. This, along with other thrilling things we did wrong, is in this one. We'll also explore how we managed to confuse rocks, misplace a few billion dollars in military spending, and accidentally transport a moustached TV host to the Mexican desert - all in a day's work. Get new episodes early and support the show on Patreon and Nebula! Subscribe to It's Probably (not) Aliens for weekly episodes about cool ancient history! And give us a 5-star review if you have the time. It really helps us out! Tristan Johnson Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Scott Niswander Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Follow the show on Bluesky or Twitter for more updates! Ask us questions and send us topics to talk about at ProbsNotAliens.com Music by Rod Kim | Cover art by Skutch See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Duration:01:11:21

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Is The City Of Teotihuacán A Literal Computer?

8/28/2024
Teotihuacán is a city that "millions of people around the world" believe looks like a computer chip. So it must be, apparently. We're joined by Quintin Smith who is much more generous than we are. Get new episodes early and support the show on Patreon and Nebula! Subscribe to It's Probably (not) Aliens for weekly episodes about cool ancient history! And give us a 5-star review if you have the time. It really helps us out! Tristan Johnson Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Scott Niswander Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Follow the show on Bluesky or Twitter for more updates! Ask us questions and send us topics to talk about at ProbsNotAliens.com Music by Rod Kim | Cover art by Skutch See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Duration:01:01:38

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Die Glocke: The Nazi Time Machine

4/18/2024
This is the big one! Was Die Glocke real? What did it do? And is "anti-gravity" the bad boy of physics? Get new episodes early on Nebula! Subscribe to It's Probably (not) Aliens for weekly episodes about cool ancient history! And give us a 5-star review if you have the time. It really helps us out! Tristan Johnson Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Scott Niswander Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Follow the show on Bluesky or Twitter for more updates! Ask us questions and send us topics to talk about at ProbsNotAliens.com Music by Rod Kim | Cover art by Skutch See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Duration:01:01:10

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No, The Swastika Isn't An Alien Symbol

4/10/2024
I can't believe we even have to say that. Get new episodes early on Nebula! Subscribe to It's Probably (not) Aliens for weekly episodes about cool ancient history! And give us a 5-star review if you have the time. It really helps us out! Tristan Johnson Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Scott Niswander Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Follow the show on Bluesky or Twitter for more updates! Ask us questions and send us topics to talk about at ProbsNotAliens.com Music by Rod Kim | Cover art by Skutch See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Duration:01:02:03

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Did Nazis Ever Actually Find Mystical Treasure?

4/2/2024
Obviously not. But this raises an interesting question about why pop culture has painted nazis in this treasure-hunting way. Get new episodes early on Nebula! Subscribe to It's Probably (not) Aliens for weekly episodes about cool ancient history! And give us a 5-star review if you have the time. It really helps us out! Tristan Johnson Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Scott Niswander Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Follow the show on Bluesky or Twitter for more updates! Ask us questions and send us topics to talk about at ProbsNotAliens.com Music by Rod Kim | Cover art by Skutch See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Duration:01:04:01

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The Slow And Secret Rise Of Esoteric Nazis Since WWII

3/12/2024
Turns out, nearly every seemingly innocuous new age-y thing is linked back to nazi ideology. So that's no good. Get new episodes early on Nebula! Subscribe to It's Probably (not) Aliens for weekly episodes about cool ancient history! And give us a 5-star review if you have the time. It really helps us out! Tristan Johnson Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Scott Niswander Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Follow the show on Bluesky or Twitter for more updates! Ask us questions and send us topics to talk about at ProbsNotAliens.com Music by Rod Kim | Cover art by Skutch See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Duration:00:52:55

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Aryan Aliens: Yep, It's Gross!

3/5/2024
So far, we've debunked Ancient Aliens' claims that Nazi Germany got help from alien technology. But now we're tackling the much grosser belief that the aryan race was actual aliens. Get new episodes early on Nebula! Subscribe to It's Probably (not) Aliens for weekly episodes about cool ancient history! And give us a 5-star review if you have the time. It really helps us out! Tristan Johnson Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Scott Niswander Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Follow the show on Bluesky or Twitter for more updates! Ask us questions and send us topics to talk about at ProbsNotAliens.com Music by Rod Kim | Cover art by Skutch See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Duration:00:48:03

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Wernher von Braun's Little Rocket Brain

2/27/2024
Wernher von Braun didn't care who he made rockets for or for what those people used his rockets. Nazi Germany? The United States? Didn't matter to him. Cool guy. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Duration:00:57:49

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The Nazi Rocket Program Was Also Definitely Alien Technology

2/22/2024
Are you sensing a theme yet? Because apparently the V-1 and V-2 rocket programs during WWII were also inspired by extra-terrestrials. Get new episodes early on Nebula! Subscribe to It's Probably (not) Aliens for weekly episodes about cool ancient history! And give us a 5-star review if you have the time. It really helps us out! Tristan Johnson Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Scott Niswander Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube Follow the show on Bluesky or Twitter for more updates! Ask us questions and send us topics to talk about at ProbsNotAliens.com Music by Rod Kim | Cover art by Skutch See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Duration:00:57:34