Top 5 Facts about the Bermuda Triangle
The mystery, the terror, the hundreds and hundreds of miles of calm open sea…! Welcome to WatchMojo's Top 5 Facts. In this instalment, we're looking at five mysterious and eye-opening facts about the Bermuda Triangle, the supposedly treacherous waters between Bermuda, Puerto Rico and Florida that many believe to be a hot spot of supernatural phenomena.
Special thanks to our users Stine Pedersen, ViolaCello and beetlejice for submitting the idea on our Interactive Suggestion Tool at http://www.WatchMojo.comsuggest
#5: The Name "Bermuda Triangle" First Appeared in a Pulp Magazine in the 60s
While it may seem like the Bermuda Triangle has been captivating stunned and curious onlookers for centuries, the term and popular integration of it is only around fifty years old. It was coined by writer Vincent Gaddis and first appeared in the pulp magazine "Argosy" in 1964. That said, the urban legend spans as far back as Christopher Columbus. According to his log, while travelling through the region, his compass readings were off. This has since been attributed to the compass variation between true and magnetic north– something modern sea captains know and account for. More suspiciously though, he also reported seeing a ball of light in the distance one night. Many UFO enthusiasts, of course, now say this was an alien ship, and not just luminescent ocean life.
#4: The Triangle is Responsible for the Biggest Loss of Life in U.S. Navy History Outside of Battle
The U.S. Navy, they're pretty tough, right? Know their way around an ocean? Well even they fall prey to the mighty triangle! In March 1918, the USS Cyclops, a ship with a vicious name was carrying manganese ore, but apparently her optic blast ability couldn't save her. The ship disappeared without a trace, taking over 300 souls with her. Theories range from a bad storm that sunk the boat, capsizing due to a shifting, uneven load, or possibly even a mutiny. But let's be serious, we all know it was aliens.
#3: A Popular Theory Suggests That Atlantis Lies Below the Triangle's Surface
No, the lost city of Atlantis wasn't just invented for some underrated Disney movie. The legend dates all the way back to at least ancient Greece. In the early twentieth century, psychic Edgar Cayce predicted that evidence of Atlantis would be found near Bimini in the Carribean, and wouldn't you know it, the famous Bimini Road formation was discovered in 1968. Many people believe the underwater stone wall- or road-like formation to be the remains of an Atlantean structure due to Cayce's prediction. Though it lies outside the triangle, supporters of this theory also point to sonar scans that appear to show submerged stone structures off the coast of Cuba.
#2: The Gulf Stream Could Explain the Triangle's Disappearances
So many planes and ships have gone missing within the triangle, so obviously UFOs are coming down and scooping them away, right? Well, no. Probably not. Experts have studied the Gulf Stream and concluded that it could very well be responsible for the disappearances. The Gulf Stream is essentially a river on the ocean– hold on, that idea just blew my mind. Okay, a river on the ocean that originates in the Gulf of Mexico, travels through the Straits of Florida, and ends up in the North Atlantic. With a velocity of 2.5 meters, or 8 feet, per second, it could easily sweep away a plane making a water landing or a stalled boat. But what creates the Gulf Stream? Aliens.
#1: It's Not Even Among the Top Ten Most Dangerous Waters in the World
As it turns out, the dangerous and mysterious Bermuda Triangle isn't actually all that dangerous. The deadliest waters in terms of shipping accidents are actually mainly in Asia and Europe, with the South China Sea, the Mediterranean, and the North Sea being the most dangerous. Other hot spots include the British Isles and the Black Sea. The Bermuda Triangle doesn't even crack the top ten. It's actually so bland that the U.S. Board of Geographic Names does not even recognize it as a legitimate location, and there are no official files on the area due to its normality. At least, that's what they want us to believe. Because aliens.
So, do you believe in the mysterious aura of the Bermuda Triangle? Or has your insatiable appetite for the paranormal been defeated? For more not-scary-at-all top tens and eye-opening top fives, be sure to subscribe to Watchmojo.com.
