Ah, the Bermuda Triangle, a place that has managed to provide an equal source of fascination and fear.
Nestled in the North Atlantic Ocean between the points of Florida, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico (hence the name Bermuda Triangle), urban legends would have you believe this particular patch of ocean is a place where normal maritime rules don’t apply.
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If the urban legends are to be believed, the Bermuda Triangle should be a no-go zone (Getty Stock Photos)
Is the Bermuda Triangle dangerous?
Thanks to the Bermuda Triangle repeatedly popping up in popular culture over the years, most of us grew up with an irrational fear of what would happen of we ever found ourselves in the area. Much like quicksand.
Despite claims that the Bermuda Triangle is host to a time vortex, resident aliens, and wormholes, there is a bit of history to the area. It’s commonly believed that about 50 ships and 20 airplanes have disappeared in this patch of ocean, with notable incidents including the 1918 disappearance of the USS Cyclops, the 1945 disappearance of Flight 19, and a Douglas DST airliner vanishing in 1948.
So you can see why people are suspicious.
Have scientists managed to ‘solve’ the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle?
Given how the Bermuda Triangle manages to instil emotions ranging from fear to intrigue and paranoia in people, it should come as no surprise that scores of scientists have attempted to ‘solve’ the mystery over the years.
So, what have we learnt about the Devil’s Triangle?
An artist’s interpretation of what’s probably not happening in the Bermuda Triangle (Getty Stock Photos)
One theory is rogue waves, with University of Southampton oceanographer Simon Boxall making his case in Channel 5 documentary The Bermuda Triangle Enigma. Rogue waves are categorised as violent and unpredictable currents which can reach twice the size of surrounding waves.
“There are storms to the south and north, which come together,” Boxall said.
“And if there are additional ones from Florida, it can be a potentially deadly formation of rogue waves.”
Rogue waves aren’t the only theory which has been put forward over the years either, with other researchers suggesting the gulf stream could be responsible.
In Secrets of the Bermuda Triangle, mineral prospector Nick Hutchings put forward the idea that minerals found in an ‘underwater volcano’ may have thrown travellers off course.
“Bermuda’s basically a sea mountain – it’s an underwater volcano. 30 million years ago, it was sticking up above sea level,” he said.
“We have a few core samples, which have magnetite in them. It’s the most magnetic naturally occurring material on Earth.”
Meanwhile, Australian scientist Karl Kruszelnicki suggested the disappearances can be chalked up to a combination of ‘bad weather and human error’.
And if you’re still not convinced, maybe it’s worth hiring a boat and finding out for yourself – as long as you’re aware of the risks.