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Hollow Earth Theories over the years- an overview.
The following is a brief overview of Hollow Earth (HE) theories. It's something of a hobby of mine to find books and articles on HE. There are MANY books and articles (both fiction & non) on HE that I would like to get. If you know of any, let me know. Several of the ones I mention here I have not seen (but would like to get copies).
SF & Hollow Earth- there is a thread were it seems that Hollow Earth theories will influence SF stories and vice versa. Also, there are some SF Hollow Earth books that claim to be non-fiction. Because of this, I will mention some important ones.
Inverted Earth- there is another `Hollow Earth' theory that I do not cover here: the idea that WE live on the interior of a Hollow Earth. This idea was put forth by a Cyrus Reed Teed as part of his Koreshanity religion and by German believers in this during WWII. I do not consider this idea as `Hollow Earth' but as `Inverted Earth' and cover this in another file.
Caves in the Earth- yet another HE varient idea is that of HUGE caves in the Earth containing whole civilizations. This, too, I don't consider HE, and so will not cover it.
Edmund Halley in 1692 (_Philosophical Transactions_ of Royal Society) puts forth idea of Earth being hollow with 2 hollow shells and a solid sphere nested inside. This was done to explain anomalous magnetic compass readings. Said atmosphere inside was luminous (and possibly inhabited) and escaping gas the cause of Aurora Borealis.
Leonard Euler got rid of mulitple shells and had an interior sun - to provide light to advanced inner-earth civilization.
Sir John Leslie would place 2 suns in hollow earth- named Pluto & Proserpine.
These ideas (apparently Halleys') influenced Cottom Mather, who placed the ideas in ch 24 (on Magnetism) of his book _Christian Philosopher_.
Also, Leslie was inspiration for Verne's _Voyage to the Center of the Earth_.
Illustration from the October 1882 issue of Harper's New Monthly Magazine, showing the appearance of Symmes' Hole near the North Pole.
One can never be sure just how serious they are about it, but there does exist a group of people who call themselves the "Flat-Earth Society" (remember the news item about the old gentleman who was invited to Cape Kennedy to watch an Apollo moon launch, but came away convinced that it was all a hoax?). There is another group, equally vocal, who believe that the earth is hollow. Several years ago, a group of "believers" informed a member of the Geophysical Institute staff that there was an opening to the center of the earth in the Alaska Range, and that this was an entry and exit point for flying saucers.
Modern-day proponents of the hollow earth theory can refer nonbelievers to the book The Hollow Earth (Bell Publishing Company, 1979) by Raymond Bernard. Bernard, judging from the initials he lists behind his name, holds just about every advanced academic degree, but is apparently somewhat of a recluse. As a spokesman for the publisher states in a foreword to the book, "I will not enter into any correspondence regarding this book--or the author. Whether you accept or reject the content of this book is your privilege. No one cares."
The Aryan invasion theory has been a basis and justification of Western interpretation upon the civilization and history of India. Although many Indologists within India have been influenced by such thought, the theory has not met majority acceptance within India and is even coming under attack in the West. David Frawley, one Sanskrit scholar recognized both inside as well as outside of India has assessed the current situation of the Aryan invasion theory thusly:
“ One of the main ideas used to interpret - and generally devalue - the ancient history of India is the theory of the Aryan invasion. According to this account, India was invaded and conquered by nomadic light-skinned Indo-European tribes from Central Asia around 1500-100 BC, who overthrew an earlier and more advanced dark-skinned Dravidian civilization from which they took most of what later became Hindu culture ... This idea- totally foreign to the history of India, whether North or South, has become an almost unquestioned truth in the interpretation of ancient history today. Today, after nearly all the reasons for its supposed validity have been refuted, even major Western scholars are at last beginning to call it into question.” ( David Frawley, “ The Myth of the Aryan Invasion” )
Originally posted by groingrinder
Great topic with cool links. I am sure one of the scientific debunkers will be along shortly to rain on this parade though. For all the implausibility this theory appeals to me. Everything I have learned tells me that it should not and could not be true, yet I keep thinking about it and being haunted by it. If there truly are advanced beings residing inside our planet, then it is time for them to come on out and give us a hand.
Originally posted by Nairod
As people have said, the north pole is a floating ice cap. If there was a hole there and the earth hollow, it would be flooded. Simple as.