Bermuda Triangle: A Historical Overview

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 Definition and Location 

Bermuda Triangle Definition: A region in the western part of the North Atlantic (in and between Bermuda and Florida to Puerto Rico) where ships and airplanes have disappeared under mysterious circumstances. 

The Bermuda Triangle is located in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean, its three vertices are often defined as Miami (Florida); San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Bermuda. There is an estimated 500,000 square miles of area. 

Early Incidents 

Christopher Columbus: Christopher Columbus reported a great flame of fire (possibly a meteor) that crashed into the sea, and strange compass readings were noted during the passing through the area in AD 1492. 

Mary Celeste (1872): Not technically in the Bermuda Triangle, the imagined desertion of the ship Mary Celestedoes appears to recover old stories from the region. 

Popularization 

Edward Van Winkle Jones (1950): The Bermuda Triangle first gained wide public recognition when a pseudo-scientific article by Edward Van Winkle Jones appeared in the Miami Herald on 16 September 1950, covering the loss of several planes and ships, including Flight 19. 

Vincent Gaddis (1964): Possibly the first to write about the disappearances in an article for Argosy published in 1964, covers the stories and breathlessly added his own flourishes with a description of "Bermuda Triangle" as an arm of violent death. 

Notable Incidents 

Flight 19 (1945): During a training flight on December 5, 1945, five Navy Avenger torpedo bombers disappeared. A rescue aircraft looking for them also disappeared. 

USS Cyclops (1918): The USS Cyclops was a ship belonging to the United States Navy that vanished in March 1918, and which transported 309 people (crew and passengers). 

Star Tiger and Star Ariel (1948 to 1949); two British South American Airways planes disappeared flying over the Atlantic Ocean near Bermuda. 

Theories and Explanations 

Natural explanations: Many scientists have suggested an explanation for the disappearance as a natural phenomenon and they include: 

Mistakes: Human Error - It is a busy maritime and flight routes area, hence navigational mistakes happen more often. 

Why: Lots of thunderstorms, waterspouts and hurricanes in our region-validator. 

Methane Hydrates: Eruptions of underwater methane gas could release enough to drop density of water causing ships to sink, in theory. 

Differences of the Compass: The Bermuda Triangle is one of a only a handful of spots on Earth in which true and magnetic north line up, potentially confounding navigational errors. 

  • Paranormal Theories: Various speculative theories include: 

  • Atlantis: Some suggest the lost city of Atlantis and its purported advanced technology could be causing the anomalies. 

  • Aliens: UFO enthusiasts propose that extraterrestrial beings might be responsible for the disappearances. 

  • Time Warps: Fictional accounts often suggest time warps or portals to other dimensions. 

Modern Perspective 

  • Skeptical Views: Modern researchers and skeptics argue that the number of incidents in the Bermuda Triangle is not significantly higher than in any other heavily traveled region of the world. They emphasize that most disappearances can be explained by natural causes and human error. 

  • Naval and Aviation Records: Both the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard consider the Bermuda Triangle a myth. Official records do not recognize it as a geographic danger zone. 

Cultural Impact 

  • Books and Films: The Bermuda Triangle has inspired numerous books, documentaries, and films, contributing to its lasting place in popular culture. 

  • Tourism: The mystery of the Bermuda Triangle has even become a tourist attraction, with many visitors intrigued by its enigmatic reputation. 

The Bermuda Triangle continues to captivate the imagination, blending mystery, science, and myth in a way that fuels endless speculation and intrigue. 

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