We debunk alien explanations for the Trojan War and Aztec human sacrifice, connect colonial propaganda and Christian nationalism to the use of divine authority to excuse violence, and close with 'Voyage One' from editor Max's album Bloodstar.

We examine claims that aliens supplied Ramanujan's mathematics and great artists' inspiration, explore how creativity works, and connect the myth of solitary genius to colonialism and the neglect of the public support that helps people create.

Ancient Aliens would like you to believe Angkor Wat required a trip to space college and a supply of magic water. Apparently, giving Khmer builders credit for knowing how to build things is asking too much.We look at the religious poem being repackaged as an alien encounter, the canals used to transport sandstone, and the enormous amount of skilled, often coerced labour behind the temple. We also compare two supposedly identical pyramids that turn out to have different materials, heights and purposes. Scott has a soundboard clip about magical water. This becomes everyone's problem.Then we follow the claim that Cambodians couldn't have built their own monuments through French colonialism, stolen antiquities and modern conspiracy content. Denying people credit for their history helped justify taking their land and heritage. We discuss efforts to bring that heritage home, and what Khmer water management and farmers' adaptations to drought and flooding can teach us about living through climate disruption.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 | YouTubeScott Niswander Bluesky | Twitter | YouTubeFollow the show on Bluesky or Twitter for more updates!Ask us questions and send us topics to talk about at ProbsNotAliens.comMusic by Rod Kim | Cover art by Skutch | Edited by Stanford See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We examine Ancient Aliens' claim that extraterrestrials guided Joan of Arc, explore how faith and morale shaped her role in the Hundred Years War, and discuss how turning her into a political symbol erases her agency.

We examine the alleged binary message from the Rendlesham Forest UFO encounter, its missing evidence and mythical island coordinates, then connect Ancient Aliens' chosen messengers to Silicon Valley's billionaire saviour politics.

Scott returns from parental leave for a bleak news catch-up and listener corrections on Yellowstone, aspirin, Soviet labour awards, Scooby-Doo and Thanos, with his soundboard ready and his willingness to admit fault under review.

A retired history professor is convinced telepathic aliens who can't use a toaster are quietly replacing humanity, and we trace that goofy panic straight back to a very old and very dangerous idea.

Tristan and guest Stanford take apart the UFO-lore claim that seven-foot praying-mantis aliens run a hidden hierarchy over human abductions, following it from one historian's hypnosis sessions through sleep paralysis to the management class it's quietly describing.

Tristan and guest Sarah Davis Baker explore the bizarre history of the Georgia Guidestones, debunking claims of alien population control to reveal a legacy of eugenics, 17th-century hoaxes, and explosive right-wing infighting.

Ancient Aliens claims Nikola Tesla's death ray was real and the government hid the alien tech, but the secret vault contained a Wheatstone bridge, Donald Trump's uncle filed the debunking report, and the lone-genius myth has been doing real political damage ever since.