Maurice Cotterell

{{pseudoastronomy|1=1}}
'''Maurice Cotterell''' {{lived|1952|}} is a [[United Kingdom|British]] [[Author|writer]] whose publications promote forms of alternative science and supposed ancient [[prophesies]]. He calls his writing style "adventure fact".<ref name=homepage/>

His writings argue that the 28-day spinning [[Sun]] regulates fertility in females<ref>[http://www.mauricecotterell.com/synopsis04.htm How the sun controls Fertility in Females] (mauricecotterell.com)</ref> and that it determines the personality of the [[foetus]] in the womb, corresponding to sun-sign [[astrology]].<ref>[http://www.mauricecotterell.com/synopsis02.htm How the sun determines Personality] (mauricecotterell.com)</ref> He says that the Sun causes [[schizophrenia]], that [[Mobile phone radiation|mobile/cell phones]] and overhead power lines cause [[cancer]], and that TV and computer screens cause miscarriages. He also believes that the Sun brings periodic catastrophic destruction to Earth every few thousand years.

==Codebreaking==
Cotterell claims that in 1989 he found a way (not detailed) of calculating the duration of long-term magnetic reversals on the Sun. Using this knowledge, he believes he was able to break the codes of ancient sun-worshipping civilizations:
*the Maya of Central America,<ref>[http://www.mauricecotterell.com/synopsis01.htm The Man who broke the code of Maya Carving] (mauricecotterell.com)</ref>
*Tutankhamun-era [[Egypt]]
*Viracocha Inca of South America

He then claims he cracked the "codes" (methodology also not detailed) of the Terracotta Warriors of [[China]], and the [[Celt]]s of Europe.

He claims that his own unique decoding process "reveals amazing pictures from [[Archaeology|archaeological]] treasures that explain the spiritual mysteries of life; why we are born, why we die and why this has to be."<ref name=homepage>http://www.mauricecotterell.com/index.htm</ref>

==Gravity==
Because of his own faulty understanding, Cotterell denies the validity of Newton's equation. He maintains that there's "a problem" with it which is never discussed because scientists are too embarrassed by it.<ref>[http://dorkmission.blogspot.com/2017/01/maurice-cotterell-is-wrong-about.html Maurice Cotterell is wrong about everything] --''Emoluments of Mars'' blog, 12 January 2017</ref>

He has also said that when an object, such as a gyroscope, is spun it becomes weightless.<ref>[[Coast to Coast AM]], 11 January 2017</ref> He cites a demonstration by the engineer Eric Laithwaite which emphatically ''did not'' show that.

In 2018 Cotterell wrote an essay<ref>[https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mauricecotterell.com%2Fdownloads%2FMarsLandersp.pdf ''Why Landers Crash into Mars'']. Cotterell maintains that 10 of 18 Mars soft-landing attempts have failed. However, his list is inflated with the failures of Phobos 1 and Phobos 2, which were never intended to land on the planet.</ref> about the difficulty of landing on Mars, which he ascribed to the fact that engineers do not take into account the centrifugal forces generated by the planet's rotation. He wrote:
''Newton failed to recognize, in his equation, that a falling body is also under the influence of 'centrifugal force' caused by the spinning of the Earth on its axis.''

That statement is categorically wrong, since a body not in contact with a planet cannot possibly be affected by centrifugal forces.

==Literary==
Cotterell's [[woo]]-laden tree corpses are, sadly, best-sellers, published by Simon & Schuster.<ref>http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Maurice-Cotterell/410049851</ref> You can however read his book ''The Amazing Discoveries of Maurice Cotterell: Synopsis'' on his web site (as a series of images).<ref>[http://www.mauricecotterell.com/synopsispage00.htm The Amazing Discoveries of Maurice Cotterell: Synopsis] (mauricecotterell.com)</ref>

==Criticism==
Maurice Cotterell has been criticized by members of the academic community for making ridiculous pseudo scientific claims that are not backed-up by rigorous mathematical or empirical arguments.

==References==
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[[Category:British people]]
[[Category:Pseudoarchaeology]]
[[Category:Authors]]
[[Category:Living people]]

Categories: British people, Pseudoarchaeology, Authors, Living people