Cuentan los últimos macuxíes (del norte del Amazonas), que hasta el año 1907 entraban por una caverna y andaban entre trece y quince días, hasta llegar al interior. Allí, "del otro lado del mundo", viven los "hombres grandes", que miden entre tres y 3,5 metros. Son muy buenos pero hay que respetar sus indicaciones. La consigna de los macuxíes del lugar, era custodiar la entrada de la caverna, impidiendo el acceso a todo otro ser que no fuera alguno de los autorizados de la tribu. Cuando el gran viento que recorría el enorme túnel empezaba a soplar hacia afuera, (tenía ritmos de cinco días hacia afuera y otros tanto hacia adentro) podían comenzar a descender las escaleras (de 82 cm. de altura cada escalón), y las escaleras terminaban al tercer día (contaban los días con el estómago y los períodos de sueño, lo que resulta sumamente exacto).

 

Allí dejaban también los breos (antorchas hechas con palos embebidos en brea de afloramientos petrolíferos cercanos), y continuaban iluminados por luces que simplemente estaban colocadas allí, grandes como una sandía y claras como una lámpara eléctrica. Cada vez andaban más rápido, puesto que iban llevando menos peso e iban perdiendo el peso corporal. Atravesaban cinco lugares que estaban muy bien delimitados, en medio de unas cavidades enormes, cuyo techo no era posible ver. Allí habían -en una de las salas- cuatro luces como soles, imposible mirarlos, pero que seguramente no era tan altas como el sol. En ese sector crecían algunos árboles de buenos frutos, como cajúes, nogales, mangos y plátanos, y plantas más pequeñas. Por la descripción comparativa con ciertos lugares de la zona macuxí, esa sala tendría unos diez kilómetros cuadrados de superficie "transitable" y vegetada, y otros sectores inaccesibles y muy peligrosos, con piedra hirviendo, así como unos arroyos de azogue (mercurio, que los macuxíes conocieron en el presente siglo su uso para amalgamar el polvo de oro, merced a los garimpeiros que hoy contaminan con él las aguas amazónicas). Luego de estas cinco grandes cavidades, en un punto situado más allá de medio camino, debían tomarse de las paredes, y con cuidado impulsarse porque "volaban" (es decir que estaban ingrávidos como un astronauta).

El viento que había comenzado a soplar hacia afuera, no era obstáculo al iniciar el descenso, pero si lo intentaban al revés, la violencia del remolino les podía arrastrar al abismal túnel, y el cadáver -golpeado mil veces- no se detendría hasta un día de marcha, cueva adentro. Respetando este ciclo, iniciando la marcha con viento en contra (que era a favor de su seguridad) bajaban tres días por escaleras; y luego de dos días de marcha por túnel angosto, ya sin escaleras, el viento volvía hacia adentro, de modo que cuidaban los pasos desde el día de la partida, para no dejar arena removida o guijarros sueltos que luego se estrellarían en sus espaldas. Aún con viento a favor -ya en el séptimo u octavo día de marcha-, llegaban a la zona "donde todo vuela", es decir al medio de la costra del planeta (el medio de la masa, magnéticamente hablando, que no es el centro geométrico de la Tierra, sino cualquier punto en medio del espesor de la corteza).

 

A veces el viento era muy fuerte, y en vez de tomarse de las paredes para impulsarse, debían hacerlo para frenarse y no ser golpeados. Generalmente duraba desde poco menos de un día hasta día y medio, la travesía sin gravedad. Algunas veces debieron aferrarse a las salientes pétreas o a hierros que habían "desde antes" clavados en la roca, y esperar dos días a que amainara el viento. Luego seguían el camino caracterizado por arroyos con aguas muy frías que atravesaban la caverna, y entraban a una especie de gran vacía, mayor que las anteriores, donde habían unas cosas brillantes, de forma similar a los panales de abejas, de unos diez metros de diámetro, situados sobre un vástago, como un tronco de árbol, a una altura imprecisable por la memoria de los últimos macuxíes que viven recordando aquello, aún con cierto temor a las represalias de "los hombres grandes".

Los viajeros iban recobrando el peso, pero no llegaban a recobrarlo totalmente, porque aparecían en "la tierra del otro lado", donde todo es un poco más liviano, el sol es rojo y siempre es de día, sin noche, ni estrellas ni luna. Allí permanecían unos días, disfrutando de unas playas cercanas, volviéndose más jóvenes. (Lo que recuerda a Apolo, que iba al Olimpo a rejuvenecerse) Los macuxíes conocían muy bien el Atlántico, pues estaban -"afuera"- a unos trescientos kilómetros de la costa, y no era éste el mar). Los gigantes les daban unos peces muy buenos y grandes, cuya carne no se descomponía hasta dos o tres meses de haber sido pescados. Con esa preciosa carga, manzanas más grandes que una cabeza y uvas del tamaño de un puño, además de mucha energía corporal, volvían acompañados de algunos gigantes que les ayudaban con el enorme peso que traían. El viaje de vuelta se iniciaba con viento a favor, para volver a tenerlo a favor también en la última etapa, al subir los tres últimos días por las escaleras, cuyos últimos restos existen actualmente.

La creencia -o conocimiento- de los macuxíes, es que si respetan las pautas dadas por los gigantes, luego de morir aquí afuera, nacerán entre ellos, allá adentro. Cuentan que algunos macuxíes no morían, sino que se transformaban (¿transfiguraban?) en casi-gigantes y se quedaban en el interior. Esto requería principalmente, no tener hijos aquí afuera.

La tragedia para los macuxíes sucedió en 1907. Tres exploradores ingleses, llegaron en nombre de su reina, buscando diamantes. La zona macuxí es aún actualmente un poco diamantífera, pero ya se la ha explotado desde 1912 tan intensamente que casi no hay diamante, siendo poco o nada rentable su búsqueda. Cuando llegaron los ingleses, había lo suficiente como para conformar a la reina y a muchos ambiciosos que se enriquecieron luego, explotando a los nativos, pero uno de aquellos "viajeros autorizados al Centro de la Tierra" cometió la terrible imprudencia de violar la consigna de secreto, e indicó el lugar de entrada a los extranjeros. Uno de ellos envió una carta a Su Majestad, repitiéndole una narración como ésta, con algunos detalles más. En las arenas de las playas interiores, abunda el diamante, al igual que en algunos enormes bloques carboníferos de mineral de serpentina, de antiguos calderos volcánicos, que hoy son, justamente, esos túneles hacia el interior del mundo.

Los tres hombres salieron -o mejor dicho entraron- de expedición, pero no regresaron jamás. En vez de ello, salieron los gigantes, reprendieron a los macuxíes y les prohibieron para siempre el ingreso al interior. Luego de dos años de angustia y pobreza (esa zona, en esta superficie externa tenía diamantes -sin valor entonces para ellos-, pero no mucha fruta ni muchos peces), decidieron intentar un nuevo contacto con los gigantes, a pesar de la prohibición. Viajaron esperanzados durante dos días, pero llegaron a un punto del camino donde el viento venía de otra caverna que ellos no conocían. El camino original estaba derrumbado. Algunos volvieron inmediatamente, pero otros decidieron seguir el nuevo y desconocido túnel. Varios meses después, uno de ellos regresó y dijo al resto que podían entrar; los gigantes les autorizaban, pero sería para no volver nunca afuera, porque otros ingleses irían al territorio y les dañarían. Algunos se negaron a partir, porque el lugar asignado era una de aquellas grandes vacuoides. Otros aceptaron irse y no regresaron jamás.

Unos años después, comenzaron a llegar garimpeiros, a enturbiar los ríos con zarandas, resumidoras y mercurio, y a enturbiar los cerebros de los macuxíes que se quedaron "afuera", con caña, caipiriña y macoña (droga). También les enturbiaban las espaldas -con látigos- y la raza, violando a sus mujeres. En junio o julio de 1946 hubo un enorme derrumbe en el túnel, cayendo casi toda la escalera. Hoy sólo quedan algunos escalones del inicio, y un enorme precipicio inescalable, donde el viento sopla con ritmos diferentes. Algunos viejos macuxíes que escaparon al látigo inglés, y aún viven contando su edad por lunas, no se resignan totalmente a olvidar el Paraíso Perdido. Nunca mejor expresado, pues ellos lo conocieron... Y lo perdieron.

Article from a UFO Newsgroup
September 1997
 

There are lines of magnetic force emanating from the South Magnetic Pole. What is strange about the north and south poles is the way in which the magnetic lines of force move. The magnetic lines of force originate from a "hole" just off the coast of Antarctica.

However, the line of flight is such that the only places in the Antarctic where you'd stand a chance of seeing these UFOs is in the "Weddell sea" area where South American countries have their bases and at the Scott Base at the South Pole.

The other parts of the UFO route is somewhat offset from the commonly traveled routes and so there's little chance of running into UFOs by accident at any other places. That would explain why the US Govt doesn't like visitors to the South Pole base: It's not that the hole is AT or NEAR the South Pole base (as we originally thought), but along the route from the real hole in the oceans off the coast.

Bob Borino, in his article, 'UFO Bases Found in Antarctica' (Globe, Jan. 18, 1983) quotes from certain scientists who believe that a subterranean UFO Base is located beneath the strange 'Polynya Sea' in the Antarctica's Weddell Sea region.

Malcolm W. Browne, in his article 'Underground Tunnels Threaten Town in Hungary's Wine Country' (NY Times Nov. 8, 1967, p.2) tells of over 60 miles of ancient tunnel systems of unknown origin and purpose which have been discovered beneath the town of Eger, Hungary, some of which have collapsed. The civilization which built the tunnels must have been fairly advanced in engineering and science in order to create such a subterranean system.
 

On this page are three images that were sent to the "Hollow Earth Mailing List" that is organized by Jan Lamprecht of South Africa.

These images show a picture of the planet Earth with a circular opening at the North Pole. The first two images show a picture of the globe. Note the circular opening at the top. The third image is a closeup of this opening. It appears these images may have been taken by Apollo 16. In any case, they are quite clear and you must decide as to their authenticity.

(The Inner Earth My Secret Diary)

I must write this diary in secrecy and obscurity. It concerns my Arctic flight of the nineteenth day of February in the year of Nineteen and Forty Seven.

There comes a time when the rationality of men must fade into insignificance and one must accept the inevitability of the Truth! I am not at liberty to disclose the following documentation at this writing ...perhaps it shall never see the light of public scrutiny, but I must do my duty and record here for all to read one day. In a world of greed and exploitation of certain of mankind can no longer suppress that which is truth.


FLIGHT LOG: BASE CAMP ARCTIC, 2/19/1947

0600 Hours- All preparations are complete for our flight north ward and we are airborne with full fuel tanks at 0610 Hours.

0620 Hours- fuel mixture on starboard engine seems too rich, adjustment made and Pratt Whittneys are running smoothly.

0730 Hours- Radio Check with base camp. All is well and radio reception is normal.

0740 Hours- Note slight oil leak in starboard engine, oil pres sure indicator seems normal, however.

0800 Hours- Slight turbulence noted from easterly direction at altitude of 2321 feet, correction to 1700 feet, no further turbulence, but tail wind increases, slight adjustment in throttle controls, aircraft performing very well now.

0815 Hours- Radio Check with base camp, situation normal.

0830 Hours- Turbulence encountered again, increase altitude to 2900 feet, smooth flight conditions again.

0910 Hours- Vast Ice and snow below, note coloration of yellowish nature, and disperse in a linear pattern. Altering course foe a better examination of this color pattern below, note reddish or purple color also. Circle this area two full turns and return to assigned compass heading. Position check made again to base camp, and relay information concerning colorations in the Ice and snow below.

0910 Hours- Both Magnetic and Gyro compasses beginning to gyrate and wobble, we are unable to hold our heading by instrumentation. Take bearing with Sun compass, yet all seems well. The controls are seemingly slow to respond and have sluggish quality, but there is no indication of Icing!

0915 Hours- In the distance is what appears to be mountains.

0949 Hours- 29 minutes elapsed flight time from the first sighting of the mountains, it is no illusion. They are mountains and consisting of a small range that I have never seen before!

0955 Hours- Altitude change to 2950 feet, encountering strong turbulence again.

1000 Hours- We are crossing over the small mountain range and still proceeding northward as best as can be ascertained. Beyond the mountain range is what appears to be a valley with a small river or stream running through the center portion. There should be no green valley below! Something is definitely wrong and abnormal here! We should be over Ice and Snow! To the portside are great forests growing on the mountain slopes. Our navigation Instruments are still spinning, the gyroscope is oscillating back and forth!

1005 Hours- I alter altitude to 1400 feet and execute a sharp left turn to better examine the valley below. It is green with either moss or a type of tight knit grass. The Light here seems different. I cannot see the Sun anymore. We make another left turn and we spot what seems to be a large animal of some kind below us. It appears to be an elephant! NO!!! It looks more like a mammoth! This is incredible! Yet, there it is! Decrease altitude to 1000 feet and take binoculars to better examine the animal. It is confirmed - it is definitely a mammoth-like animal! Report this to base camp.

1030 Hours- Encountering more rolling green hills now. The external temperature indicator reads 74 degrees Fahrenheit! Continuing on our heading now. Navigation instruments seem normal now. I am puzzled over their actions. Attempt to contact base camp. Radio is not functioning!

1130 Hours- Countryside below is more level and normal (if I may use that word). Ahead we spot what seems to be a city!!!! This is impossible! Aircraft seems light and oddly buoyant. The controls refuse to respond!! My GOD!!! Off our port and star board wings are a strange type of aircraft. They are closing rapidly alongside! They are disc-shaped and have a radiant quality to them. They are close enough now to see the markings on them. It is a type of Swastika!!! This is fantastic. Where are we! What has happened. I tug at the controls again. They will not respond!!!! We are caught in an invisible vice grip of some type!

1135 Hours- Our radio crackles and a voice comes through in English with what perhaps is a slight Nordic or Germanic accent! The message is: 'Welcome, Admiral, to our domain. We shall land you in exactly seven minutes! Relax, Admiral, you are in good hands.' I note the engines of our plane have stopped running! The aircraft is under some strange control and is now turning itself. The controls are useless.

1140 Hours- Another radio message received. We begin the landing process now, and in moments the plane shudders slightly, and begins a descent as though caught in some great unseen elevator! The downward motion is negligible, and we touch down with only a slight jolt!

1145 Hours- I am making a hasty last entry in the flight log. Several men are approaching on foot toward our aircraft. They are tall with blond hair. In the distance is a large shimmering city pulsating with rainbow hues of color. I do not know what is going to happen now, but I see no signs of weapons on those approaching. I hear now a voice ordering me by name to open the cargo door. I comply. END LOG

From this point I write all the following events here from memory. It defies the imagination and would seem all but madness if it had not happened.

The radioman and I are taken from the aircraft and we are received in a most cordial manner. We were then boarded on a small platform-like conveyance with no wheels! It moves us toward the glowing city with great swiftness. As we approach, the city seems to be made of a crystal material. Soon we arrive at a large building that is a type I have never seen before. It appears to be right out of the design board of Frank Lloyd Wright, or perhaps more correctly, out of a Buck Rogers setting!! We are given some type of warm beverage which tasted like nothing I have ever savored before. It is delicious. After about ten minutes, two of our wondrous appearing hosts come to our quarters and announce that I am to accompany them. I have no choice but to comply. I leave my radioman behind and we walk a short distance and enter into what seems to be an elevator.

We descend downward for some moments, the machine stops, and the door lifts silently upward! We then proceed down a long hallway that is lit by a rose-colored light that seems to be emanating from the very walls themselves! One of the beings motions for us to stop before a great door. Over the door is an inscription that I cannot read. The great door slides noiselessly open and I am beckoned to enter. One of my hosts speaks. 'Have no fear, Admiral, you are to have an audience with the Master...'

I step inside and my eyes adjust to the beautiful coloration that seems to be filling the room completely. Then I begin to see my surroundings. What greeted my eyes is the most beautiful sight of my entire existence. It is in fact too beautiful and wondrous to describe. It is exquisite and delicate. I do not think there exists a human term that can describe it in any detail with justice! My thoughts are interrupted in a cordial manner by a warm rich voice of melodious quality, 'I bid you welcome to our domain, Admiral.' I see a man with delicate features and with the etching of years upon his face. He is seated at a long table. He motions me to sit down in one of the chairs. After I am seated, he places his fingertips together and smiles. He speaks softly again, and conveys the following:

'We have let you enter here because you are of noble character and well-known on the Surface World, Admiral.'

Surface World, I half-gasp under my breath!

'Yes," the Master replies with a smile, 'you are in the domain of the Arianni, the Inner World of the Earth. We shall not long delay your mission, and you will be safely escorted back to the surface and for a distance beyond. But now, Admiral, I shall tell you why you have been summoned here. Our interest rightly begins just after your race exploded the first atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. It was at that alarming time we sent our flying machines, the "Flugelrads", to your surface world to investigate what your race had done. That is, of course, past history now, my dear Admiral, but I must continue on. You see, we have never interfered before in your race's wars, and barbarity, but now we must, for you have learned to tamper with a certain power that is not for man, namely, that of atomic energy. Our emissaries have already delivered messages to the powers of your world, and yet they do not heed. Now you have been chosen to be witness here that our world does exist. You see, our Culture and Science is many thousands of years beyond your race, Admiral.'

 I interrupted,

'But what does this have to do with me, Sir?'

The Master's eyes seemed to penetrate deeply into my mind, and after studying me for a few moments he replied,

'Your race has now reached the point of no return, for there are those among you who would destroy your very world rather than relinquish their power as they know it...' I nodded, and the Master continued, 'In 1945 and afterward, we tried to contact your race, but our efforts were met with hostility, our Flugelrads were fired upon. Yes, even pursued with malice and animosity by your fighter planes. So, now, I say to you, my son, there is a great storm gathering in your world, a black fury that will not spend itself for many years. There will be no answer in your arms, there will be no safety in your science. It may rage on until every flower of your culture is trampled, and all human things are leveled in vast chaos. Your recent war was only a prelude of what is yet to come for your race. We here see it more clearly with each hour.. do you say I am mistaken?'

'No,' I answer, 'it happened once before, the dark ages came and they lasted for more than five hundred years.'

'Yes, my son,' replied the Master, 'the dark ages that will come now for your race will cover the Earth like a pall, but I believe that some of your race will live through the storm, beyond that, I cannot say. We see at a great distance a new world stirring from the ruins of your race, seeking its lost and legendary treasures, and they will be here, my son, safe in our keeping. When that time arrives, we shall come forward again to help revive your culture and your race. Perhaps, by then, you will have learned the futility of war and its strife...and after that time, certain of your culture and science will be returned for your race to begin anew. You, my son, are to return to the Surface World with this message.....'

With these closing words, our meeting seemed at an end. I stood for a moment as in a dream....but, yet, I knew this was reality, and for some strange reason I bowed slightly, either out of respect or humility, I do not know which.

Suddenly, I was again aware that the two beautiful hosts who had brought me here were again at my side. 'This way, Admiral,' motioned one. I turned once more before leaving and looked back toward the Master. A gentle smile was etched on his delicate and ancient face. 'Farewell, my son,' he spoke, then he gestured with a lovely, slender hand a motion of peace and our meeting was truly ended.

Quickly, we walked back through the great door of the Master's chamber and once again entered into the elevator. The door slid silently downward and we were at once going upward. One of my hosts spoke again, 'We must now make haste, Admiral, as the Master desires to delay you no longer on your scheduled timetable and you must return with his message to your race.'

I said nothing. All of this was almost beyond belief, and once again my thoughts were interrupted as we stopped. I entered the room and was again with my radioman. He had an anxious expression on his face. As I approached, I said, 'It is all right, Howie, it is all right.' The two beings motioned us toward the awaiting conveyance, we boarded, and soon arrived back at the aircraft. The engines were idling and we boarded immediately. The whole atmosphere seemed charged now with a certain air of urgency. After the cargo door was closed the aircraft was immediately lifted by that unseen force until we reached an altitude of 2700 feet. Two of the aircraft were alongside for some distance guiding us on our return way. I must state here, the airspeed indicator registered no reading, yet we were moving along at a very rapid rate.

215 Hours- A radio message comes through. 'We are leaving you now, Admiral, your controls are free. Auf Wiedersehen!!!!' We watched for a moment as the flugelrads disappeared into the pale blue sky.

The aircraft suddenly felt as though caught in a sharp downdraft for a moment. We quickly recovered her control. We do not speak for some time, each man has his thoughts....
 

ENTRY IN FLIGHT LOG CONTINUES:

220 Hours- We are again over vast areas of ice and snow, and approximately 27 minutes from base camp. We radio them, they respond. We report all conditions normal....normal. Base camp expresses relief at our re-established contact.

300 Hours- We land smoothly at base camp. I have a mission.....

END LOG ENTRIES.

March 11, 1947. I have just attended a staff meeting at the Pentagon. I have stated fully my discovery and the message from the Master. All is duly recorded. The President has been advised. I am now detained for several hours (six hours, thirty- nine minutes, to be exact.) I am interviewed intently by Top Security Forces and a medical team. It was an ordeal!!!! I am placed under strict control via the national security provisions of this United States of America. I am ORDERED TO REMAIN SILENT IN REGARD TO ALL THAT I HAVE LEARNED, ON THE BEHALF OF HUMANITY1111 Incredible! I am reminded that I am a military man and I must obey orders.

30/12/56: FINAL ENTRY:

These last few years elapsed since 1947 have not been kind...I now make my final entry in this singular diary. In closing, I must state that I have faithfully kept this matter secret as directed all these years. It has been completely against my values of moral right. Now, I seem to sense the long night coming on and this secret will not die with me, but as all truth shall, it will triumph and so it shall.

This can be the only hope for mankind. I have seen the truth and it has quickened my spirit and has set me free! I have done my duty toward the monstrous military industrial complex. Now, the long night begins to approach, but there shall be no end. Just as the long night of the Arctic ends, the brilliant sunshine of Truth shall come again....and those who are of darkness shall fall in it's Light.. FOR I HAVE SEEN THAT LAND BEYOND THE POLE, THAT CENTER OF THE GREAT UNKNOWN.

Admiral Richard E. Byrd
United States Navy
24 December 1956

Perhaps some of the most bizarre scientific theories ever considered were those concerning the possibility that the Earth was hollow. One of the earliest of these was proposed in 1692 by Edmund Halley.

Edmund Halley was a brilliant English astronomer whose mathematical calculations pinpointed the return of the comet that bears his name. Halley was fascinated by the earth's magnetic field. He noticed the direction of the field varied slightly over time and the only way he could account for this was there existed not one, but several, magnetic fields. Halley came to believe that the Earth was hollow and within it was a second sphere with another field. In fact, to account for all the variations in the field, Halley finally proposed that the Earth was composed of some four spheres, each nestled inside another.

One of the most ardent supporters of hollow-earth was the American John Symmes. Symmes was an ex-army officer and a business man. Symmes believed that the Earth was hollow and at the north and south poles there were entrances, 4,000 and 6,000 miles wide, respectively, that led to the interior. Symmes dedicated much of his life to advancing his theory and raising money to support an expedition to the North Pole for the purpose of exploring the inner earth. He was never successful, but after his death one of his followers, a newspaper editor named Jeremiah Reynolds, helped influence the U.S. government to send an expedition to Antarctica in 1838. While the explorers found no hole there, they did bring back convincing evidence that Antarctica was not just a polar ice cap, but the Earth's seventh continent.

In 1846 the discovery of an extinct woolly mammoth frozen in ice in Siberia was used by Marshall Gardner as evidence of a hollow earth. Gardner subscribed to the single-sun-inside-the-earth theory and suggested that the mammoth was so well-preserved because it had died recently. Gardner thought that mammoths and other extinct creatures wandered freely in the interior of the earth. This one had wandered outside by using the hole at the North Pole, then was frozen and carried to Siberia on an ice flow.

That same decade a new theory about the hollow-earth appeared. It was the brainchild of Cyrus Read Teed. Teed proposed that the Earth was a hollow sphere and that people lived on the inside of it. In the center of the sphere was the sun, which was half dark and half light. As the sun turned it gave the appearance of a sunset and sunrise. The dense atmosphere in the center of the sphere prevented observers from looking up into the sky and seeing the other side of the world. Interestingly enough, Teed's theory was hard for 19th century mathematicians to disprove based on geometry alone, since the exterior of a sphere can be mapped onto the interior with little trouble.

Teed changed his name to Koresh and founded what might today be called a cult. After buying a 300 acre tract in Florida, Koresh declared himself the messiah of a new religion. He died in 1908 without proving his ideas.

Even after his death, though, some continued to subscribe to his theory. A story is told that during World War II Hitler sent an expedition to the Baltic Island of Rugen. There Dr. Heinz Fischer pointed a telescopic camera into the sky in an attempt to photograph the British fleet across the hollow interior of a concave earth. He was apparently unsuccessful and the British fleet remained safe.

After World War II there seems to be a continuing connection between hollow-earth stories and Nazi Germany. One author, Ernst Zundel, wrote a book entitled UFOs - Nazi Secret Weapons? claiming that Hitler and his last battalion had boarded submarines at the end of the war, escaped to Argentina, and then established a base for flying saucers in the hole leading to the inside of the Earth at the South Pole. Zundel also suggested that the Nazis had originated as a separate race that had come from the inner-earth.

As time has gone on the idea of a hollow-earth has become less a theory of fringe science and more a subject of science fiction and fantasy. Perhaps this has happened because new discoveries continue to show there is no validity to most of the hollow-earth ideas. United States Navy Admiral Richard Byrd flew across the North Pole in 1926 and the South Pole in 1929 without seeing any holes leading to inner-earth. Photographs taken by astronauts in space show no entrances either. Modern geology indicates the Earth is mostly a solid mass.

In the book three scientists climb down an inactive Iceland volcano in an attempt to find a path to the center of the Earth. They don't make it, but they do find an underground sea populated with prehistoric creatures including plesiosaurs.

Verne may have been closer to that mark than most expected. For years scientists scoffed at the idea of life thriving underground without light to provide energy. Now explorations have found rock-eating bacteria living as far as a mile below the ground. In Romania a whole ecosystem, including spiders, scorpions, leeches and millipedes has been found in a cave cut off from the surface 5.5 million years ago.

In addition to this kind of a hollow-earth there may be a "hollow Mars." A mars rock discovered in the Antarctic suggests that bacteria may have, and might continue to, exist underground on the red planet.