Erich Von Däniken, the Swiss author best known for his theories about “ancient astronauts” died in Interlaken, Switzerland, January 10, 2026 at the age of 90. He wrote over sixty books, including the best-selling Chariots of the Gods.

Who Was He and WHY was he controversial?

Erich Anton Paul Von Däniken was born in Zofingen, Aargau, Switzerland on April 14, 1935. He died January 10, 2026. Von Däniken was a highly controversial figure during his lifetime, and will doubtless remain equally controversial after his death.

Based on what he himself admitted was circumstantial evidence, he theorized that aliens from distant planets had come to Earth long ago in our history, teaching and helping our ancestors. Especially, that these ancient astronauts had built the pyramids of Egypt and the Yucatan, He was a major influence on television science fiction, especially Stargate SG-1 and Battlestar Galactica. His theories were a staple of In Search Of ….

While some readers considered him a genius, who had found and revealed a lost Truth, more traditional scientists regarded his work as pseudoscience at best. Some critics thought he insulted humanity, especially non-European humanity by his beliefs that ancient humans could not accomplish anything without the help of alien visitors. John Flenley said Von Daniken’s theories “ignore the real achievements of our ancestors and constitute the ultimate in racism: they belittle the abilities and ingenuity of the human species as a whole.”

Von Daniken was a popular talk show guest in Europe and North America. He became a TV presenter, and produced a twenty-five episode German-language television show in the 1990s. His personal appearances sold out every seat in lecture halls around the world.

He designed a theme park in Switzerland called Mystery Park, dedicated great mysteries around the world, such as the Nazca Lines in Peru, England’s Stonehenge, the Mayan calendar, et cetera, all of which Von Daniken believed could be explained through the intervention of ancient aliens visiting our planet. Mystery Park was open from 2003 to 2006, Since 2009 it has been open during the summer months only as Jungfrau Park. (Jungfrau is a mountain in Switzerland.)

Although raised Roman Catholic, Von Daniken fell away from the teachings of the church while still a young man and re-interpreted certain Bible verses, specifically Genesis 6:1-2 and Ezekiel 1:15-16, to support his theories.

Von Daniken’s Books

Erich Von Daniken’s books include:

• Chariots of the Gods (1969)
• Return to the Stars (1970) 
• Gods from Outer Space (1972, reprint of Return to the Stars)
• Erich von Däniken (1973) [1972]. The Gold of the Gods. Translated by Michael Heron
• Miracles of the Gods: A Hard Look at the Supernatural (1975)
• In Search of Ancient Gods: My Pictorial Evidence for the Impossible , 1976) 
• According to the Evidence (1977)
• Signs of the Gods (1980) 
• The Stones of Kiribati: Pathways to the Gods (1982)
• The Gods and their Grand Design: The Eighth Wonder of the World (1984)
• According to the Evidence (1977)
• Signs of the Gods (1980) 
• The Stones of Kiribati: Pathways to the Gods (1982)
• The Gods and their Grand Design: The Eighth Wonder of the World (1984) 
• The Eyes of the Sphinx: The Newest Evidence of Extraterrestrial Contact (1996)
• The Return of the Gods: Evidence of Extraterrestrial Visitations (1998) 
• Arrival of the Gods: Revealing the Alien Landing Sites of Nazca (1998) 
• The Gods Were Astronauts: Evidence of the True Identities of the Old “Gods” (2001)
• Odyssey of the Gods: An Alien History of Ancient Greece ( 2002) 
• History Is Wrong (2009) 
• Evidence of the Gods (2010)
• Twilight of the Gods: The Mayan Calendar and the Return of the Extraterrestrials (2010) 
• Tomy and the Planet of Lies (2012) 
• Remnants of the Gods: A Visual Tour of Alien Influence in Egypt, Spain, France, Turkey, and Italy (, 2013) 
• The Gods Never Left Us (2018)
• Eyewitness to the Gods (2019) 
• War of the Gods (2020) 
• Confessions of an Egyptologist: Lost Libraries, Vanished Labyrinths & the Astonishing Truth Under the Saqqara Pyramids (2021)

His books were immensely popular in the 1970s and ’80s, and still widely read today. They are not likely to go out of print in the near future. Whether you think his theories are utter hogwash or divinely revealed truth, you’ll have lots of company, either way. Read them and decide for yourselves.

We offer our condolences to his friends and family.

Daniken – Rupam Islam Lyric video Indian singer Rupam Islam has a song about Von Daniken