Beyond alien abductions and mysterious vanishings: Did the mystery of Bermuda Triangle just get solved?

Legends and stories about the Bermuda Triangle have been circulating for more than a century, as the zone has been tied to theories of paranormal forces, alien abductions, and unexplained vanishings. But oceanographic research now gives a new scientific explanation that might explain the case of lost ships and aeroplanes and shift the stories from myths to natural phenomena.Recently, an oceanographer at the University of Southampton appeared in the Channel 5 documentary The Bermuda Triangle Enigma, where he gave an explanation that could solve the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle.Dr. Simon Boxall, an ocean and earth scientist at the University of Southampton, explained how rogue waves, or vertical walls of water that can reach nearly 100 feet, can strike without warning. These waves sometimes form when multiple storms converge in the region. He said in the documentary, “There are storms to the south and north, which come together. And if there are additional ones from Florida, it can be a potentially deadly formation of rogue waves”. He added, “They are steep, they are high—we’ve measured waves in excess of 30 metres. The bigger the boat gets, the more damage is done”.To test the effects, Dr. Boxall’s team created a scale model of the USS Cyclops, a 542‑ft coal ship that disappeared in 1918 with 306 crew and subjected it to simulated rogue waves. The simulation resulted in frightening results, as a rogue wave with peaks at either end would leave nothing supporting the ship’s center, causing it to "snap in two" and sink in "two to three minutes".It’s important to note, however, that not all experts believe the Bermuda Triangle is unusually dangerous. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) states there's no evidence that disappearances are more common there than in similarly busy ocean regions. They say that most incidents can be because of the natural hazards of the Gulf Stream, storms, shallow waters, and even magnetic anomalies affecting navigation, and that traffic volume plays a large role.The Bermuda Triangle is a region in the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by Miami, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico. There are numerous stories around it for reports of ships and planes vanishing under mysterious circumstances, which have led to countless theories, from alien abductions to strange natural forces. However, there's no solid evidence that disappearances happen more often here than in other busy parts of the ocean. In fact, thousands of vessels and aircraft pass through the area daily without any trouble.Photo Credits: Canva