Erich Von Daniken - The Gold Of The Gods

2 - The War Of The Gods
of con-elusions based on demonstrable facts.
Professor Puccetti starts from the premise that similar external
conditions lead to the formation of similar forms and organs in
genetically different beings. This tendency exists on all earth-like
planets where suitable conditions for complex forms of life occur.
Therefore the differences in the evolution of beings that originated on
our or any other planet should be minimal. For in all cases life began
with the chemical transformation of the surface of the planet-"with the
appearance of organic matter from inanimate matter on the basis or
carbon com-pounds in a water medium." It has been proved that
herbivores and carnivores became differentiated in their oceanic
environment and developed special forms "before they conquered terra
firma."
Fossils have not only been found in rock with an age of 60,000,000
years, but also in slate a billion years old. The development of new
kinds of bodies by formerly amphibious creatures was not a chance
one. They needed different limbs in order to move about quickly on
terra firma. Nature developed walking, which is the only sensible form
of loco-motion, because it is possible on any surface. Whereas
amphibious creatures still had small brains, land creatures needed a
larger thinking apparatus, because the dangers from their environment
multiplied. But the larger brain was easier to carry and supply with
blood in a walking position.
What was the number of legs necessary for the new position, asks
Puccetti? One leg would not be enough, because the animal would not
be able to stand up again if it fell over. Uneven numbers would not
have been practical, because balance would have been difficult. Yet
several pairs would also have been unsuitable, because they would
only have permitted slow crawling. Actually, fossil finds are clear
proof that in the course of millions of years evolution steadily allowed
the number of legs to atrophy, until finally two pairs proved to be the