Erich Anton Paul von Däniken born 14 April 1935) is a Swiss author of several books which make controversial claims about extraterrestrial influences on early human culture, including the best-selling Chariots of the Gods?, published in 1968.
Von Däniken is one of the main figures responsible for popularizing the "paleo-contact" (Ancient astronauts or ancient aliens, also known as paleo-contact hypothesis are purported intelligent extraterrestrial beings said to have visited Earth in antiquity or prehistory and made contact with humans).
