"In 2214, a geophysicist named Michael Altman made a discovery that would change history. Buried at the impact site of a crater near the Yucatán Peninsula, he uncovered a divine alien presence: the Marker. The Marker spoke to Altman and revealed a plan that would unify mankind and lead them to a bright, new future."
January 1, 1970
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Dead_Space_2