For decades, we blamed aliens and Atlantis. Science says the Bermuda Triangle story is very different
Bermuda Triangle
has long been a magnet for mystery. Tales of vessels vanishing without distress calls and planes disappearing mid-flight have fuelled theories about alien abductions, time warps, and lost civilisations. The area, marked by the points of Florida, Bermuda and Puerto Rico, has been cast as a danger zone.
Australian scientist Karl Kruszelnicki disagrees. He has spent years dismantling these claims, arguing the disappearances can be explained by environmental hazards, human error, and simple probability. His view is backed by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Lloyd's of London, and the US Navy.
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No higher risk than elsewhere
'There is no evidence that mysterious disappearances occur with any greater frequency in the Bermuda Triangle than in any other large, well-travelled area of the ocean,' NOAA stated in 2010. Kruszelnicki told The Independent that 'the number [of ships and planes] that go missing in the Bermuda Triangle is the same as anywhere in the world on a percentage basis.'
The high volume of maritime and air traffic in this part of the Atlantic naturally produces more recorded incidents. It is one of the busiest corridors on the planet for both shipping and aviation, which skews public perception.
The real hazards in the Triangle
Kruszelnicki points to natural features that can catch even experienced crews off guard. The Gulf Stream, a fast-moving current, can shift weather conditions within minutes, generate violent storms, and sweep vessels far from their intended course.
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The region is also prone to hurricanes, rogue waves, and waterspouts. Coral reefs and shallow island chains increase the risk of grounding, while certain locations have magnetic anomalies where compasses point to true rather than magnetic north, potentially leading to navigational mistakes.
When human error meets bad weather
Technology has improved safety, but even now, equipment failures, misjudged routes, and poor weather forecasting can turn routine journeys into disasters. Earlier decades were even riskier, with slower emergency responses and limited communication systems. 'The combined forces of nature and human fallibility outdo even the most incredulous science fiction,' NOAA notes.
Kruszelnicki stresses that human mistakes are underestimated in most popular accounts. Poor decision-making in bad weather has been a factor in many of the Triangle's most famous incidents.
How the 'Bermuda Triangle' myth took hold
The term 'Bermuda Triangle' was coined in 1963 by writer Vincent Gaddis. It caught the public imagination but became a phenomenon in 1974 with Charles Berlitz's bestselling book, which mixed real incidents with speculation about Atlantis, aliens, and other dramatic claims. Scientists criticise such works for relying on anecdotes rather than evidence.
The 1945 disappearance of Flight 19, five US Navy bombers on a training mission, cemented the Triangle's image in popular culture. Official records point to navigational confusion and bad weather. Kruszelnicki says that pattern repeats across many so-called mysterious cases.
A pilot's strange story
In 1970, pilot Bruce Gernon claimed to have flown through a tunnel-like cloud that caused his instruments to fail and seemed to make 30 minutes vanish from his flight time. While the account is famous among paranormal enthusiasts, Kruszelnicki and other experts see it as anecdotal and likely explained by weather phenomena such as unusual cloud formations.
From sea monsters to sunken cities, the Bermuda Triangle has been kept alive by books, films, and documentaries that favour thrilling theories over mundane truths. Kruszelnicki has repeated his findings in public talks and interviews since 2017, yet the legend persists. For many, the idea of aliens or time warps is more enticing than accepting the roles of probability, weather, and human error.
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