Bermuda Triangle

[thejoefro]

Is the Bermuda Triangle a myth or is it reality?

[magicdice]

i have nooooo idea how accurate this is, but in discussion at a very bubbly natural pool on holiday in turkey, we theorised that perhaps the water in this region contains a lot of gas, and so is less dense. as a result, there would be less upward force on a boat, and so it would be harder to stay afloat, hence lots of boats (ships?) sinking in this region.

not sure if that's true or not, but it's plausible!

[Chillum]

I'm sure I saw that same explanation given in a documentary once. The seabed was (or could be) prone to releasing large quantities of gasses, aerating the water to such an extent that ships could not float. I don't know how that would explain the aircratf that have been lost though. There's most likley a fair old amout of coincidence and exaggeration thrown in for good measure.

[Quizmonster]

Other than the fact that such a geographical region exists, it's a myth. Proper investigations into the so-called mystery invariably show that. One such into the whole flight of aeroplanes which disappeared - shown on TV less than a year ago - was carried out by a friend of mine who works for the Air Accident Investigation Board. He showed pretty conclusively that no supernatural explanation was needed. Seabed gases are extremely unlikely to affect aircraft, as Chillum suggests above.

[Octavius]

As QM says, it as a stretch of the Atlantic Ocean bordered by a line from Florida to the islands of Bermuda, to Puerto Rico and then back to Florida.

The mystery was more media hype than reality. Many of the strange accidents were not so strange after all. Often a 'triangle writer' had noted a ship or plane had disappeared in "calm seas" when the record showed a raging storm had been in progress. Others said ships had "mysteriously vanished" when their remains had actually been found and the cause of their sinking explained. 

The only story that really fuelled the imagination of the reporters was of Flight 19 in Dec 1945.  The pilot actually got lost and crashed into the sea somewhere near the BT.  The remains of the plane were never found and the navy recorded pilot error, but the pilots mother refused to accept that and finally got the Navy to change the report to read that the disaster was for "causes or reasons unknown."  Which led to further media frenzy. 

[bernardo]

It is real.  That does not however mean that the accidents which happen in it are caused by supernatural or mysterious causes.

[JohnDTC]

i think it was a horizon documentarty i watched a couple of years ago, & although it wasnt about the bermuda triangle, it featured the impending threat of methane hydrates hidden under the ocean. they are basically a crystalline form of water & methane under high pressure which locks up the methane in a solid ice-like form. however, they are unstable & if the above ground cracks they can violently release vast quantities of methane gas. i'm sure ive heard this mentioned in connection to the bermuda triangle & it would certainly support the ideas talked about above.

[THECORBYLOON]

I'm not sure if it was the Horizon programme mentioned earlier but one documentary pointed out the fact that there is no agreement on the area covered by The Bermuda Triangle. One author of a book on the "mystery" had it extending as far as the Republic of Ireland. I mind on hearing an expert talking about it on the radio and the gases in the water can have an effect on the magnetic field in the locality which may explain why folk have experienced compass problems. If I remember correctly, he came up with the theory whilst in the bath!  

[Trajan]

There is also a theory about 'super waves' that swamp even larger ships. This isn't confined to the 'Triangle' area, though. They occur everywhere.

I don't believe there's anything special about the Triangle, it's just that the myth sells well.

[ianess]

I was always 100% sceptical until just over a year ago when I had reason to contact a passenger on a cruise ship in the area.  For 3 days no phone call, fax, or e-mail message would get through to that liner.  Eventually I gave up and have never had a satisfactory reason for what happened.   Now.....  I'm not quite so sceptical.

[triangle]

Yes it is reallity if you watch the movie The Triangle it tells about it but the movie is not all true but ya airplanes and ships have sunk and got destroyed for an known reason