Erich von Däniken made a breakthrough in 1968 with the book "Unsolved Mysteries of Mankind's Past", published in English as "Chariots of the Gods?".
There, and in several later books, he presented his theories that ancient civilizations were visited by technologically advanced extraterrestrials and that this could explain the emergence of certain spectacular ancient remains and structures. Such theories are usually referred to as “ancient astronauts.”
As evidence, he pointed to archaeological finds such as rock paintings, but his evidence did not hold up to scrutiny.
In 2003, an amusement park in Interlaken, Mystery Park, designed by Erich von Däniken and featuring attractions based on his theories, opened. It closed three years later for financial reasons.
Erich von Däniken was 90 years old.
