Of course it's not, even in 1995, the notion of a lost civilization was not a new idea.

That notion has been around for a very long time.

We can take that notion actually back thousands and thousands of years.

The most famous example is Plato, the Greek philosopher Plato,

who gave us the story of Atlantis.

From Plato comes the story of Atlantis, a great advanced civilization

which had navigating and seafaring skills, which could explore the world,

which built gigantic buildings, which had advanced knowledge in every area,

which was prosperous and powerful.

But then Plato says that corruption crept into the society,

that it became cruel and avaricious, it became greedy,

it began to impose its power around the world.

And he has a very ringing phrase.

He said that Atlantis ceased to wear its prosperity with moderation.

And the suggestion is that it's this hubris, this conceit of Atlantis,

that it becomes so sure of itself, that somehow the universe struck it down.

And we have the cataclysm of flood and disaster,

and that Atlantis is submerged beneath the waves.

Now, of course, the view of historians and academics

is that Plato's story is just made up.

He just made it up to make some political or philosophical point.

But this cannot be so.

...