Mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle

Over the years, a lot has been written about the Bermuda Triangle, which is more infamously known as the Devil’s Triangle.

This triangle is located in the western part of the North Atlantic. The area is called a triangle because it encompasses 3 vertices that include Miami, Florida, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the mid-Atlantic island of Bermuda.

This small patch of the ocean has been blamed for hundreds of shipwrecks, plane crashes and mysterious disappearances.

Over the years many theories have been put forth in an attempt to solve what was considered in the 1970s, a scary mystery.

Today, over forty years later, some state that most of the stories written about these lost wrecks, crashes, and disappearances were inaccurate or embellished. In some cases, this is true. In others, it is not.

Scientific Theories

Over the years, there have been many debates as to the cause of all these accidents and disappearances.

Excluding human error--most theories that have been put forth involve some kind of environmental force that made ships and planes compasses or navigational equipment malfunction, which caused them to go off course and become lost.

The list of possible causes is too long, so instead, here is one of the most intriguing theories.

Dr. Richard Mclver an American geochemist and Dr. Ben Chennell of Leeds University in England purpose that Methane hydrates, which are sediments that bubble up from the ocean floor might cause ships to disappear.

Landslides on the ocean floor can release vast amounts of this gas--which can be disastrous because, in some instances, it reduces the density of the water.

What this means is it could make any ship floating above sink like a rock. This gas could also cause plane engines to ignite--causing them to explode.

Paranormal Theories

There have been so many spooky stories and theories told about the triangle that people literally are afraid to travel through this area.

Stories of alien UFO abductions and other paranormal phenomena became as varied as the scientific theories.

The stories told of disappearances in the triangle, such as the Carroll A. Deering in 1921, and an entire squadron of Naval planes in 1945, fueled these more alternative theories.

One stark example of this follows...

An English psychiatrist, Dr. Kenneth McAll put forth a theory in a book he wrote that the souls of black slaves had cursed the triangle, and their spirits still haunt the area.

While traveling by ship across the triangle, McAll stated he and the crew heard continuous mournful singing everywhere on the vessel, but they could find no discernible source for it.

He later did research and discovered it was in the triangle region where 18^th century English sea captains defrauded insurance companies by tossing African slaves into the ocean to drown, and then cashed in on the claims.

Simplest Theory

Skeptics state that there is no mystery connected to the Bermuda Triangle.

They propose a simple explanation. The triangle is a relatively small region that has some of the most heavily traveled shipping lanes in the world.

Because of this, it should not be surprising that a large number of accidents occur in the area.

I must note here that vessels started to disappear in this region long before the area was heavily used.

Another problem with this theory is it does not explain why hundreds of planes and large ships, over more than a century, just disappeared without a trace.

Television Series: In Search of…

In Search of… was an American documentary television show that aired from September of 1976 until March of 1982. 

This series investigated offbeat and often controversial topics. 

In Search of

The show always began with the disclaimer that the information it presented was based upon theory and conjecture. It was stated that the purpose of  In Search of… was to “suggest some possible explanations, but not necessarily the only ones, to the mysteries we examine.” 

I found the series above all else to be very entertaining.

The series creator was Alan Landsburg, a television writer, producer, and director. Landsburg also produced “Biography” and the “National Geographic Specials,” etc. 

The original shows were based upon a series of paperbacks he wrote about ancient mysteries and their outer space connection. 

The host of In Search of

Rod Serling, the creator of the “Twilight Zone” series, hosted the original episodes. Leonard Nimoy, famous for his role as “Mr. Spock.” in the “Star Trek” series then became the regular host.

In Search of… explored and investigated an eclectic mix of subjects. The series explored everything from the death of Marilyn Monroe to the Abominable Snowman. 

The show posed the question did Sherlock Holmes really exist to a show that focused upon Sun Worshippers and solar energy. Other topics covered over six seasons were UFOs, myths and monsters, missing persons, missing cities and missing ships, and of course, the paranormal.

The show always started with a teaser and a clip introducing that episode’s topic. This was an excellent device to heighten the viewers’ anticipation. 

The format of the show included interviews, reenactments, and scene footage with voice-overs from Nimoy. 

The series aired on the A&E Network and then on The History Channel. Re-runs are no longer shown because of a licensing agreement that ended in early 2000. Most of the episodes, although can be seen on YouTube.

The series had several terrific episodes about ghosts. The first was entitled “Ghosts.” It focused upon an investigation Dr. Hans Holzer conducted. 

Holzer was a parapsychologist, ghost hunter, and a pioneer within the paranormal community, he passed away in 2009. 

Other episodes included topics about spirit voices, haunted castles, and a ghostly stakeout, which was a forerunner to all the ghost hunter shows on television today.  In Search of…  was the groundbreaker for many television shows aired today.

Here is a link to the first of three parts of the In Search of…  entitled “Ghosts.” Enjoy.
Ghosts