01.1PART I Ch1 Electric Universe（01.1第一部分Ch1电动宇宙）.pdf

THUNDERBOLTS OF THE GODS D a v i d Ta l b o t t a n d Wa l l a c e T h o r n h i l l Mikamar Publishing Portland, Oregon To the scientists and historians of the future Thunderbolts of the Gods Copyright © 2004 David Talbott and Wallace Thornhill All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: Thunderbolts of the Gods / by David Talbott and Wallace Thornhill 1. Plasma and electricity in space 2. Plasma phenomena in ancient times 3. Origins of mythology and symbolism 4. The cosmic thunderbolt ISBN xx xxxx xxxxxx Printed in the United States of America by Mikamar Publishing 1616 NW 143rd Portland, Oregon 97229 503-645-4360 “It is the thunderbolt that steers the universe!” Heraclitus, fifth century B.C. INTRODUCTION On a spiral arm of a galaxy called the Milky Way, nine planets move in peaceful, clock-like procession around a yellow dwarf star called the Sun. The planets move on highly predictable paths, and by all appearances nothing has changed in a billion years. The inhabitants of the third planet, the Earth, can see five of their celes- tial neighbors without the aid of telescopes. Surrounded by the background stars, these objects do little to distinguish themselves in the night sky. And few of us today have learned to identify the five visible planets against the starry dome. Earlier cultures were not so complacent about the planets. They invoked these bodies with fear and rever