Mysterious Facts About The Bermuda Triangle
"Mysteries once thought to be supernatural or paranormal happenings—such as astronomical or meteorological events—are incorporated into science once their causes are understood".—Michael Shermer
The Bermuda Triangle, otherwise known as “The Devil’s Triangle,” is a region in the western section of the North Atlantic Ocean that has become notorious for the many ships and aircraft that have mysteriously disappeared attempting to traverse it. Some people believe that the cause of the disappearances is paranormal or extraterrestrial, but as of yet there is no definitive proof that anything unexplainable by science or logic has ever occurred. Yet, it's undeniable that a lot of curious things have happened in the Triangle, going back centuries. So is everything that happens there just a normal part of life on the high seas, or is there something going on that we don't truly understand? Read on for 25 facts about this mysterious phenomenon that has left us mystified for so long.
1. Flight 19
The Bermuda Triangle, otherwise known as “The Devil’s Triangle,” is a region in the western section of the North Atlantic Ocean that has become notorious for the many ships and aircraft that have mysteriously disappeared attempting to traverse it. Adding fuel to the eerie reputation of the Bermuda Triangle was the disappearance of five Navy Bombers in 1945. The mission, known as Flight 19, was carrying fourteen men, and took off from Fort Lauderdale airfield on carrying out rehearsal air raids. The plane's compasses malfunctioned, and they soon became completely lost. They flew without direction until they ran out of fuel and were forced to ditch. Later that day, a 13-man rescue crew also disappeared while searching for them. After weeks of searching, no sign of either crew was ever found.
2. Pacific Bermuda Triangle
While the Bermuda Triangle is perhaps the most famous mysterious region in the oceans, there are other places in the world with similar occurrences. The area called The Devil’s Sea (or the Pacific Bermuda Triangle) is a triangle between Japan and the Islands of Bonin, including part of the Philippine Sea. Many planes and ships have mysteriously disappeared in the region, and people have reported seeing ghost ships sailing the waters there. The Japanese call it Ma-no Umi, meaning “Sea of the Devil". Why does Bermuda have to hog all the glory?
3. What Shakespeare Wrote
Some scholars believe that Shakespeare’s play The Tempest was based on shipwreck that occurred in the Bermuda Triangle area. In 1609, a set of ships set sail from England to the Colony of Virginia. The ship called the Sea Venture was separated from the other vessels by a storm, and it eventualy wrecked on the coasts of Virginia. Some of the survivors returned home, and it’s possible that he would have spoken to some of them himself and drawn inspiration for the play.
4. Setting Boundaries
In 1964, American author Vincent Gaddis defined the boundaries of the Bermuda Triangle for the very first time, in an issue of the magazine Argosy. It’s called the Bermuda Triangle because, believe it or not, the region forms a triangular zone in the Atlantic. The three corners are Miami, San Juan in Puerto Rico, and the island of Bermuda. In his article, Gaddis called it the “deadly Bermuda Triangle,” and the name stuck.
