For decades, the "Bermuda Triangle" has captivated both dreams and fears, fueled by tales of unexplained disappearances and spectacular theories. Now, an Australian scientist claims that this enigma might be far less mysterious than previously thought.
An area that has become legendary
The Bermuda Triangle is located in the Atlantic Ocean, between Florida, Puerto Rico, and the Bermuda archipelago, covering approximately 500,000 square kilometers. The term itself was popularized in 1964 by journalist Vincent Gaddis, before writer Charles Berlitz made the area an object of global fascination ten years later.
Over the years, stories of missing ships, vanished planes, and disappearing crews have fueled a multitude of hypotheses: paranormal phenomena, sunken civilizations, magnetic anomalies, sea creatures, or temporal distortions. The collective imagination has run wild, transforming this stretch of ocean into a symbol of absolute mystery.
A much more rational explanation
Karl Kruszelnicki, a renowned Australian scientist, offers a more pragmatic perspective. According to him, there is nothing truly exceptional about this area. The reason is simple: the Bermuda Triangle is extremely busy, with both commercial ships and aircraft. The denser the traffic, the more incidents can occur. Relative to the volume of traffic, the number of disappearances is no higher than in other maritime areas.
In other words, the mystery stems less from the geography itself than from the media narrative surrounding it. The legend has grown with sensational stories, while the scientific facts remain quite ordinary.
Official institutions and data: nothing abnormal
Official analyses confirm this rational approach. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has indeed recorded no abnormal frequency of accidents in the region. Weather conditions, however, can be complex: the Gulf Stream generates rapid changes and unpredictable currents, while the geographical configuration—with its numerous islands and narrow passages—makes navigation more demanding. Even the marine insurer Lloyd's of London considers that the area does not present a statistically greater danger than other frequented shipping lanes.
Magnetism, weather, and human error
Some phenomena are very real, but perfectly documented. Slight variations in the Earth's magnetic field can temporarily disrupt navigation instruments. Added to this are known factors: human error, technical problems, and extreme weather conditions. Together, these are enough to explain the majority of accidents. There are therefore no hidden secrets, no mysterious vortexes, and no legendary sea creatures. Science demonstrates that the causes are classic, rational, and understandable.
When the myth surpasses the numbers
Despite these clear explanations, the Bermuda Triangle continues to fascinate. It lies at the crossroads of science and storytelling, between tangible figures and extraordinary tales. Past disappearances, whether accidental or amplified by legend, have left a lasting mark on the collective imagination.
For Karl Kruszelnicki, the message is clear: no supernatural phenomena have been verified. What we perceive as a mystery is primarily storytelling, but paradoxically, this element of legend is what makes the Bermuda Triangle so captivating.
Ultimately, the Bermuda Triangle demonstrates that science and imagination can coexist. Scientific data demystifies the area, but the fascination persists. There's nothing inexplicable, nothing magical… just a frequented place, subject to the same natural laws as the rest of the ocean. And perhaps it is this subtle blend of fact and fiction that continues to fuel the stories, films, and passionate discussions surrounding this corner of the Atlantic.
