How science solved the Bermuda Triangle mystery - BBC Science Focus Magazine

The patch of sea between Florida, Puerto Rico and Bermuda gained legendary status in the mid-20th century when articles linked it to mysterious disappearances of boats and aircraft.

One of the most famous incidents occurred in 1945 when Flight 19, a group of five US Navy bombers on a training mission, vanished in the area. Over the decades that followed, shipwrecks and crashed planes were frequently attributed to the Triangle’s destructive forces.

Then, in 1975, Larry Kusche published a book debunking the legend, revealing that reports about the Triangle had been inaccurate, exaggerated or unverified. He concluded that the number of incidents in this area wasn’t significantly higher than in any other part of the ocean.

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Nevertheless, numerous explanations – both natural and supernatural – have been proposed over the years. Some have blamed leftover technology from Atlantis. Others claimed the Triangle is the site of a space-time warp that sucks objects into a parallel universe.

One of the strangest natural explanations is that bubbles of methane released from the seafloor were capsizing ships. However, studies by the US Geological Survey record no significant methane releases in the past 15,000 years.

The high incidence of hurricanes in the region could have had serious impacts in the era before accurate forecasting enabled pilots and captains to avoid bad weather.

A recent study suggested that converging storms might generate rogue waves up to 30m (almost 100ft) high that could sink even large boats. Laboratory simulations confirmed that such waves would have ship-sinking potential, but there’s no evidence they actually occur in the Bermuda Triangle.

Some claim that magnetic anomalies caused sailors and pilots navigating by compass to veer off course. Although no such anomalies have been identified, in the early 20th century true geographic north and magnetic north aligned in the Bermuda Triangle, which could have led to navigational errors.

It’s worth noting that the US Coast Guard doesn’t identify any specific hazards in the Bermuda Triangle, and a 2013 study listing the most dangerous waters for shipping didn’t feature the region.

Despite a high volume of air and sea traffic, as well as frequent hurricanes, the Bermuda Triangle hasn’t experienced a statistically unusual number of crashes and wrecks.

The real reason this legend has proved so persistent is much more mundane. People are naturally drawn to mystery, so early reports of disappearances attracted widespread attention.

Once the myth was established, reporters were quick to attribute more wrecks to the Bermuda Triangle’s mysterious forces. The frenzy has subsided in recent years, perhaps because modern technology allows us to track ocean and air traffic with greater precision.

This article is an answer to the question (asked by Diane Johnston, Cardiff) 'What ever happened with the Bermuda Triangle?'

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