Immanuel Velikovsky
Immanuel Velikovsky was a Russian-born American independent scholar best known for his controversial work in comparative mythology and historical revisionism. Born in 1895 in Vitebsk, now part of Belarus, Velikovsky studied medicine in Moscow and later shifted his focus to psychoanalysis and psychiatry. He emigrated to the United States in 1939, where he began his work on his theories of planetary catastrophism that have since been widely criticized by the scientific community.
Velikovsky's most famous work, 'Worlds in Collision' (1950), proposed that many myths and traditions of ancient peoples and cultures are based on actual events involving close interactions between planets in the solar system. This book, along with others such as 'Ages in Chaos' and 'Earth in Upheaval', challenged conventional views of history and astronomy and sparked a great deal of controversy and debate. Despite being rejected by mainstream scientists, Velikovsky's books became bestsellers and he gained a substantial following among the general public.
Throughout his career, Velikovsky faced significant opposition and criticism from the academic community, particularly from astronomers and historians. However, he maintained a dedicated group of supporters and followers. Velikovsky continued to develop and refine his theories until his death in 1979. His works have left a lasting impact on the fields of pseudoscience and alternative history, continuing to inspire debate and discussion among both supporters and skeptics.