• Question: Does anyone know anything about the conspiracy theory about the Bermuda Triangle?

    Asked by wizzyg12 to Rob, Matt, Kate on 21 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Robert Woolfson

      Robert Woolfson answered on 21 Jun 2013:

      What is definitely true is that the Bermuda Triangle is an area where lots of planes and boats disappear. The conspiracy theory says that this is due to aliens.

      What is probably more likely, at least to me, is that it’s an area historically know for ship losses and so every time another ship goes missing people assume it’s due to something odd and not just the fact that the ocean is dangerous and ships do go missing from time to time.

      Quite a useful fact is the fact that the insurance companies do not charge more to go through the Bermuda triangle. If it actually was any more dangerous, they would make you pay more to go there.

    • Photo: Matthew Pankhurst

      Matthew Pankhurst answered on 22 Jun 2013:

      It’s a classic conspiracy theory – that aliens are active in that area and it’s used to explain boats and planes going missing. In actual fact, planes and boats have gone missing at the pretty well the same rate all over the place (maybe there are aliens everywhere!?!). Its an area that has wild weather and is often unpredictable. This was more so the case earlier last century when weather prediction was a lot worse (it’s still not perfect!), and communications weren’t as good as they are now either. So, a lot more planes and boats went missing and never were found.
      Sometimes volcanoes erupt under water and make huge pockets of hot gassy water that bubble up to the surface very fast. If a ship is on top of it the ship sinks – because for that moment all that is underneath is frothy water. It’s super rare (and unlucky don’t you think?!) but has been reported as happening!

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