Has the Bermuda Triangle mystery finally been solved? Several meteorologists seem to think so. The Science Channel recently aired a clip from its television series What on Earth? examining a pattern of hexagonal clouds hovering over the infamous region. According to their findings, the bizarre cloud formation could supposedly explain why numerous ships and planes have vanished in the area.
The strange clouds, which range from 20 to 50 miles wide, are described by Randy Cerveny, professor of geographical sciences at Arizona State University, as “air bombs.” They’re allegedly capable of generating 170 mph hurricane-force wind blasts, which could certainly trouble passing ships and aircraft.
“The satellite imagery is really bizarre with the hexagonal shapes of the cloud formations,” Cerveny said in the video. “They’re formed by what are called microbursts and they’re blasts of air.”
But according to Brian Soden, a professor in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Miami, the What on Earth? theory doesn’t add up.
“It’s garbage,” Soden said in an email.
Bermuda Triangle mystery solved? Nah. But here’s a better theory:
A more likely explanation could be the presence of giant gas craters off the coast of Norway. Scientists believe the half-mile-wide and 150-feet-deep craters were caused by an explosive release of methane, which could pose a danger to ships, according to National Geographic.
That idea also remains a theory, but it’s stronger than the hexagonal clouds.
The Bermuda Triangle mystery might be nothing more than a legend
The legend of the Bermuda Triangle has haunted sailors and pilots for years. But perhaps it really is just a legend — and nothing more.
“The region is highly traveled and has been a busy crossroads since the early days of European exploration,” John Reilly, a historian with the U.S. Naval Historical Foundation, told National Geographic.
“To say quite a few ships and airplanes have gone down there is like saying there are an awful lot of car accidents on the New Jersey Turnpike — surprise, surprise.”
