Filling in for George, Art Bell welcomed researcher and author Graham Hancock, who discussed lost ancient civilizations and the importance of exploring our own consciousness.

Hancock reiterated his premise that technologically advanced societies existed on Earth as far back as 12,000+ years ago -- the end of the last ice age. He said these civilizations were lost when a gigantic comet collided with the planet, causing the ice sheets to melt and raising sea levels by more than 400 feet. As evidence, Hancock pointed out that large stone monuments, some as big as Stonehenge, can be found 120 feet below the surface of the ocean off the coast of Japan.

According to Hancock, the Mayan calendar may provide an ancient warning of yet another cataclysmic event -- this one set to occur within a 40-year window surrounding December 21, 2012. Hancock believes the consequences of this future catastrophe could be less damaging or averted entirely if we can learn to transform our consciousness.

Hancock also strongly advocated a person's right to explore his own consciousness by using substances found in certain 'sacred plants.' He detailed his life-transforming experiences taking an ayahuasca brew made from plants containing a naturally occurring hallucinogenic known as dimethyltryptamine (DMT), as well as talked about Dr. Rick Strassman's work with the substance. Almost everyone who uses DMT encounters the same beings and receives the same kind of messages, Hancock reported. He believes these commonalities show that the drug helps people journey into a real spiritual realm, and proves that our consciousness survives death.