Gathering all his data, Narby finds coincidences.

Ayahuasca is taken during the night, in darkness, with a previous diet that avoids the consumption of fat, sweet, salty or spicy food. The consumption of alcoholic beverages and sexual activity are forbidden during the diet.

The ceremony is in all cases led by an Ayahuasquero who guides the participants and cures them, if such is the case, through chanting. In the case of Ayahuasquero apprentices, they isolate themselves from human contact for months and eat abundant fish and bananas, both rich in serotonin. The long term consumption of hallucinogens, on the other hand, as Narby indicates, precisely diminishes the levels of that neurotransmitter in the brain. 1) These methods are far from being the outcome of randomness. How have they reached this knowledge? There are many questions.

In this chapter, Narby concludes that shamans, or Ayahuasqueros in this case, while their consciousness is in an altered state induced by Ayahuasca, perceive animation in all types of life and this animation is the transmission in images and sound of the DNA molecule that all living creatures possess. The four chemical elements, A, G, C and T, which form the double helix of DNA, present themselves in visions as intertwined serpents.

Researching writings by many cultures and relating them to the scientific knowledge of DNA, Narby understands that the cosmic serpent mentioned by many cultures and which can be seen through the intake of Ayahuasca, is no other but DNA itself which fell to Earth and became the principle of life.

There was a close link between the "myths" of "primitive" peoples and molecular biology. The question for Narby now was: Who are we and where do we come from?