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{\an1}Tonight, it's the most notorious
stretch of ocean on the planet.
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{\an1}SAMI JARROUSH: Everyone knows
about the Bermuda Triangle,
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00:00:11,542 --> 00:00:15,125
{\an1}but yet nobody knows
what's going on over there.
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00:00:15,208 --> 00:00:18,792
{\an1}A place where ships, planes,
and unsuspecting travelers
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00:00:18,917 --> 00:00:21,208
{\an1}sometimes disappear.
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00:00:21,375 --> 00:00:23,125
{\an1}JASON HORTON: An explosion,
or a freak wave,
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{\an1}or even just a crash would leave
some debris behind.
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{\an1}So, how come there isn't any?
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{\an1}Now, we explore the top theories
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00:00:31,375 --> 00:00:34,750
{\an1}surrounding
this enduring mystery.
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00:00:34,875 --> 00:00:38,042
{\an1}We have plenty of records
of rogue waves
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00:00:38,208 --> 00:00:41,333
{\an1}outright destroying
oceangoing vessels.
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00:00:41,458 --> 00:00:43,667
{\an1}SAMI: We know that Bermuda
is teeming with volcanic rock
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{\an1}that makes compasses go crazy.
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{\an1}DUSTIN GROWICK: These planes
are flying at 4,000 feet.
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{\an1}I don't care
if it's the perfect storm,
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00:00:50,167 --> 00:00:52,625
{\an1}no wave can do that.
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{\an1}What could cause so many
unexplained vanishings
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{\an1}inside Bermuda's
infamous triangle?
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{\an1}[music]
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{\an1}1881, Liverpool, England,
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{\an1}a passenger ship
named the Ellen Austin
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{\an1}sets sail for New York City.
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{\an1}SAMI: The Ellen Austin,
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{\an1}helmed by Captain A.J. Griffin,
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{\an1}has a full manifest
of immigrants
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{\an1}excited to start a life
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{\an1}in the New World.
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{\an1}Back then, it was a long journey
across the Atlantic...
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{\an1}about six weeks' time.
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{\an1}Now, halfway in,
the captain decides
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{\an1}to alter their route
to the south.
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{\an1}We can't say for sure
why this is,
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{\an1}but turns out to be a bad idea.
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{\an1}LAURENCE: Soon after,
the ship is becalmed,
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{\an1}and without wind,
it simply drifts.
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{\an1}A few days later,
another boat appears
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{\an1}moving erratically.
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{\an1}MARTIN PEPPER: No one
can be seen aboard this ship,
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00:01:59,792 --> 00:02:01,167
{\an1}nor is there a name or a flag
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00:02:01,333 --> 00:02:02,667
{\an1}that identifies the vessel.
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{\an1}It appears to abandoned.
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00:02:05,042 --> 00:02:06,309
{\an1}JASON: The captain
pulls his ship
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00:02:06,333 --> 00:02:07,667
{\an1}alongside the strange vessel,
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00:02:07,833 --> 00:02:08,875
{\an1}and some of the sailors
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00:02:09,042 --> 00:02:11,042
{\an1}cautiously board it.
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00:02:11,167 --> 00:02:13,625
{\an1}DUSTIN: What the find,
or rather, don't find,
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{\an1}is very strange.
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00:02:15,042 --> 00:02:16,458
{\an1}It's an empty ship.
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00:02:16,542 --> 00:02:19,042
{\an1}There's no logbook,
there's no sign of violence,
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{\an1}nothing to explain
the missing sailors.
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00:02:22,208 --> 00:02:24,500
{\an1}JASON: Stranger still,
the valuable cargo,
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{\an1}a hold of mahogany wood,
is all still perfectly intact.
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{\an1}LAURENCE: Captain Griffin
takes the schooner as salvage
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00:02:32,208 --> 00:02:35,167
{\an1}and puts some of his
best crewmen aboard.
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00:02:35,292 --> 00:02:37,375
{\an1}The wind picks up,
and these two ships
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00:02:37,500 --> 00:02:40,042
{\an1}now set sail together
to New York.
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{\an1}LAURENCE: But soon,
they meet a turbulent storm
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00:02:43,667 --> 00:02:45,167
{\an1}that separates them.
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00:02:45,292 --> 00:02:47,250
{\an1}SAMI: When the weather clears
a few days later,
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00:02:47,375 --> 00:02:50,292
{\an1}Captain Griffin has to go
searching for the other ship.
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{\an1}And when they finally spot it
and pull up alongside,
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00:02:53,375 --> 00:02:55,375
{\an1}it's eerily quiet.
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{\an1}JASON: Shockingly,
the ship is empty again.
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00:02:58,375 --> 00:03:00,625
{\an1}None of the new crew members
can be found,
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00:03:00,708 --> 00:03:03,750
{\an1}there's no bloodshed, no damage
from the storm, nothing.
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00:03:03,875 --> 00:03:07,208
{\an1}SAMI: It's as if they all just
disappeared into thin air.
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00:03:07,375 --> 00:03:09,656
{\an1}Once, okay, that's a little bit
weird, I'll give you that.
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00:03:09,708 --> 00:03:12,500
{\an1}But twice?
Now, it's getting scary.
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00:03:12,625 --> 00:03:15,833
{\an1}LAURENCE: Afraid to lose
any more of his crew,
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{\an1}Captain Griffin leaves
the mysterious ship behind.
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00:03:19,833 --> 00:03:21,726
{\an1}According to records we have
from Lloyds of London,
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00:03:21,750 --> 00:03:24,167
{\an1}the Ellen Austin
finishes its voyage alone,
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00:03:24,292 --> 00:03:27,625
{\an1}docking in New York
on February 11th, 1881.
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00:03:27,708 --> 00:03:29,292
{\an1}I cannot imagine
what the surviving crew
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00:03:29,375 --> 00:03:30,875
{\an1}must have been thinking.
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{\an1}Two crews on that boat,
including some of their friends,
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00:03:33,583 --> 00:03:36,167
{\an1}just disappear
seemingly into thin air.
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00:03:37,625 --> 00:03:40,250
{\an1}LAURENCE: What could explain
the strange events
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00:03:40,375 --> 00:03:43,667
{\an1}witnessed by the crew
of the Ellen Austin?
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00:03:43,750 --> 00:03:45,542
{\an1}SAMI: They don't know it
at the time,
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00:03:45,667 --> 00:03:48,625
{\an1}but they've encountered
this mysterious ship
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{\an1}in an area of the Atlantic Ocean
that has been known to mariners
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00:03:52,208 --> 00:03:55,333
{\an1}for hundreds of years
as a place to fear...
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00:03:55,500 --> 00:03:58,667
{\an1}a place they accidentally
drifted into.
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00:03:58,792 --> 00:04:01,000
{\an1}LAURENCE: In this stretch
of the ocean,
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00:04:01,125 --> 00:04:05,458
{\an1}there are countless stories
of shipwrecks and lost boats.
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00:04:06,792 --> 00:04:10,875
{\an1}In 1800, the USS Pickering
disappears en route to Delaware
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00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:13,000
{\an1}carrying 90 people.
90
00:04:13,083 --> 00:04:19,667
{\an1}In 1814, the USS Wasp vanishes
along with 140 passengers.
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00:04:19,792 --> 00:04:24,457
{\an1}And in 1921,
the Carroll A. Deering is lost
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00:04:24,582 --> 00:04:27,917
{\an1}and ultimately found abandoned
near North Carolina.
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00:04:28,042 --> 00:04:31,332
{\an1}But the actual location
where the vessels go missing
94
00:04:31,500 --> 00:04:36,000
{\an1}isn't defined until 1964.
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00:04:36,125 --> 00:04:38,207
{\an1}SAMI: Journalist Vincent Gaddis
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00:04:38,375 --> 00:04:40,500
{\an1}catalogs some of the strange
goings on in an article,
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00:04:40,667 --> 00:04:43,000
{\an1}and he finally comes up
with a name
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00:04:43,082 --> 00:04:45,457
{\an1}for this mysterious area.
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00:04:45,582 --> 00:04:49,500
{\an1}LAURENCE: He calls it
the Bermuda Triangle.
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{\an1}The Bermuda Triangle covers
about 500,000 square miles
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{\an1}of the Atlantic Ocean,
between Florida,
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{\an1}Bermuda, and Puerto Rico.
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{\an1}It has claimed numerous victims.
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00:05:00,417 --> 00:05:02,667
{\an1}SAMI: As recently as 2015,
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00:05:02,792 --> 00:05:04,792
{\an1}two boys disappeared
in the Triangle
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00:05:04,917 --> 00:05:07,875
{\an1}during a fishing trip that left
out of Tequesta, Florida.
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00:05:08,042 --> 00:05:12,083
{\an1}As the losses have piled up,
the area has become infamous,
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00:05:12,208 --> 00:05:13,750
{\an1}legendary worldwide, even.
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00:05:13,875 --> 00:05:16,625
{\an1}Everyone knows
about the Bermuda Triangle,
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00:05:16,707 --> 00:05:20,667
{\an1}but yet nobody knows
what's going on over there.
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00:05:20,750 --> 00:05:23,667
{\an1}LAURENCE: There have been
a number of different theories.
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00:05:23,792 --> 00:05:27,917
{\an1}One of the earliest comes from
Christopher Columbus.
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00:05:29,082 --> 00:05:30,851
{\an1}SAMI: Columbus is actually
one of the first Europeans
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{\an1}to cross through
the Bermuda Triangle in 1492,
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00:05:34,082 --> 00:05:35,625
{\an1}and wouldn't you know it,
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00:05:35,707 --> 00:05:37,792
{\an1}he almost immediately
encounters a problem.
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00:05:37,875 --> 00:05:39,750
{\an1}DUSTIN: The Santa Maria
and her sister ships
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00:05:39,875 --> 00:05:41,832
{\an1}get stuck
in an abundance of algae,
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00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:45,750
{\an1}which in Columbus' diary,
he refers to as weeds.
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00:05:45,875 --> 00:05:48,375
{\an1}The ships are stuck
for three days
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00:05:48,500 --> 00:05:50,832
{\an1}and the sailors
become paranoid and panicked.
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00:05:50,957 --> 00:05:53,582
{\an1}They fear running aground
or being tangled in the weeds
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00:05:53,707 --> 00:05:56,625
{\an1}and being dragged
to the ocean floor.
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00:05:56,707 --> 00:05:58,957
{\an1}The crew would eventually
manage to cut their way out,
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00:05:59,082 --> 00:06:02,458
{\an1}but they remain convinced that
this is a dangerous area,
126
00:06:02,542 --> 00:06:04,792
{\an1}all thanks to highly unusual
seaweed.
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00:06:09,625 --> 00:06:11,667
{\an1}What Columbus
and his men call weeds,
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00:06:11,792 --> 00:06:14,250
{\an1}scientists eventually
name sargassum,
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00:06:14,375 --> 00:06:17,000
{\an1}from the Spanish word sargasso,
meaning seaweed.
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00:06:18,250 --> 00:06:20,167
{\an1}LAURENCE: The area
ultimately becomes known
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{\an1}as the Sargasso Sea.
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{\an1}SAMI: The Sargasso Sea
measures about 700 miles wide
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{\an1}and 2,000 miles long.
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00:06:27,417 --> 00:06:30,417
{\an1}It takes up about two-thirds
of the Bermuda Triangle,
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00:06:30,542 --> 00:06:34,250
{\an1}and is full of these
dense mats of sargassum.
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{\an1}LAURENCE: Could seaweed explain
the loss of so many vessels?
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00:06:38,375 --> 00:06:40,625
{\an1}PAUL SUTTER:
Sargassum is a seaweed.
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00:06:40,750 --> 00:06:43,292
{\an1}It's made of long thin stalks,
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00:06:43,375 --> 00:06:45,000
{\an1}and then there are lots
of leaves,
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00:06:45,167 --> 00:06:47,082
{\an1}and air-filled sacs
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{\an1}called pneumatocysts.
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{\an1}JASON: If you get stuck in it,
the sargassum
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{\an1}wraps around the rudder
so you can't steer,
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00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:55,042
{\an1}and barnacles begin
to grow on the ship,
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{\an1}slowing it down.
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00:06:56,792 --> 00:06:58,667
{\an1}LAURENCE: But getting stuck
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00:06:58,832 --> 00:07:01,833
{\an1}is just one small part
of the problem.
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00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:04,792
{\an1}When sargassum groups together
and begins to rot,
149
00:07:04,917 --> 00:07:08,542
{\an1}as it decomposes, it produces
hydrogen sulfide gas.
150
00:07:08,708 --> 00:07:11,375
{\an1}This gas smells really awful,
like rotten eggs,
151
00:07:11,542 --> 00:07:13,500
{\an1}and it's toxic.
152
00:07:13,583 --> 00:07:15,917
{\an1}SAMI: If you breathe in
this hydrogen sulfide,
153
00:07:16,042 --> 00:07:19,042
{\an1}it can irritate your eyes,
your nose, and your throat.
154
00:07:19,167 --> 00:07:22,625
{\an1}But it can also cause some
serious psychological issues
155
00:07:22,750 --> 00:07:24,390
{\an1}if inhaled for an extended
period of time,
156
00:07:24,542 --> 00:07:26,625
{\an1}possibly even insanity.
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00:07:26,750 --> 00:07:30,042
{\an1}JASON: A recent study
in Nanchang, China, in 2021
158
00:07:30,207 --> 00:07:32,707
{\an1}tested the effects
of hydrogen sulfide on rodents.
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00:07:32,832 --> 00:07:34,832
{\an1}And they concluded
without a doubt
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00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:37,042
{\an1}that it causes
depression-like behavior.
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00:07:38,207 --> 00:07:40,792
{\an1}SAMI: Obviously, just getting
tangled in the seaweed
162
00:07:40,875 --> 00:07:43,167
{\an1}could explain a disappearing
or a wrecked ship
163
00:07:43,332 --> 00:07:44,808
{\an1}if it's stuck out there
for long enough.
164
00:07:44,832 --> 00:07:48,500
{\an1}But when you take into account
this psychological effect,
165
00:07:48,582 --> 00:07:52,500
{\an1}this might explain the wilder
Bermuda Triangle stories.
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00:07:57,457 --> 00:07:59,500
{\an1}LAURENCE: Could this deadly gas
167
00:07:59,667 --> 00:08:03,708
{\an1}explain the experience of ships
like the Ellen Austin?
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00:08:03,833 --> 00:08:05,917
{\an1}SAMI: Remember,
the mysterious ship
169
00:08:06,042 --> 00:08:08,167
{\an1}that they find doesn't wreck
or disappear.
170
00:08:08,292 --> 00:08:10,000
{\an1}It's the passengers that do.
171
00:08:10,125 --> 00:08:13,833
{\an1}So, could it have been
those toxic brain-altering fumes
172
00:08:13,958 --> 00:08:16,917
{\an1}from the sargassum that drove
them to dive overboard?
173
00:08:17,042 --> 00:08:18,375
{\an1}It's possible.
174
00:08:18,500 --> 00:08:20,332
{\an1}LAURENCE: An eerily
similar incident
175
00:08:20,500 --> 00:08:23,707
{\an1}appears to take place in 1968,
176
00:08:23,875 --> 00:08:27,582
{\an1}but this time,
there's more evidence.
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00:08:27,707 --> 00:08:30,500
{\an1}DUSTIN: On October 31st, 1968,
British businessman
178
00:08:30,625 --> 00:08:32,667
{\an1}and amateur sailor
Donald Crowhurst
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00:08:32,832 --> 00:08:35,792
{\an1}sets off on the Sunday Times
Golden Globe race.
180
00:08:35,875 --> 00:08:37,832
{\an1}It's a competition
to be the first man
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00:08:37,917 --> 00:08:41,582
{\an1}to singlehandedly
nonstop sail around the world.
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00:08:42,582 --> 00:08:44,417
{\an1}JASON: Unfortunately,
he's ill-prepared,
183
00:08:44,542 --> 00:08:46,333
{\an1}and his boat has been
hastily constructed.
184
00:08:46,458 --> 00:08:47,875
{\an1}He barely makes it out to sea
185
00:08:48,042 --> 00:08:49,351
{\an1}when he starts
encountering problems
186
00:08:49,375 --> 00:08:51,167
{\an1}with navigation and leaks.
187
00:08:51,250 --> 00:08:53,083
{\an1}SAMI: But if he goes
back home,
188
00:08:53,208 --> 00:08:55,583
{\an1}he'll lose everything
he's invested in this race
189
00:08:55,708 --> 00:08:58,792
{\an1}and be a laughing stock,
he'll be humiliated.
190
00:08:58,875 --> 00:09:04,375
{\an1}LAURENCE: Instead, Crowhurst
devises a plan, to cheat.
191
00:09:04,542 --> 00:09:06,102
{\an1}SAMI: He decides to stay
in the Atlantic
192
00:09:06,208 --> 00:09:07,875
{\an1}and radio back false coordinates
193
00:09:08,042 --> 00:09:10,059
{\an1}to make it seem as though
he's traversing the globe.
194
00:09:10,083 --> 00:09:12,667
{\an1}JASON: Eventually,
race organizers catch on
195
00:09:12,792 --> 00:09:14,875
{\an1}that Crowhurst's
radio communications
196
00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:17,000
{\an1}are not coming from
the coordinates he's giving.
197
00:09:17,125 --> 00:09:18,708
{\an1}So, Crowhurst goes silent.
198
00:09:18,875 --> 00:09:21,458
{\an1}Sometime thereafter,
he makes the mistake
199
00:09:21,542 --> 00:09:23,667
{\an1}of drifting
into the Bermuda Triangle.
200
00:09:23,750 --> 00:09:25,375
{\an1}And that's it, he's never seen
201
00:09:25,542 --> 00:09:27,250
{\an1}or heard from again.
202
00:09:28,667 --> 00:09:31,583
{\an1}LAURENCE: Crowhurst's empty boat
is eventually found
203
00:09:31,708 --> 00:09:34,667
{\an1}in the Atlantic
along with a logbook.
204
00:09:34,750 --> 00:09:36,708
{\an1}DUSTIN: The writings
paint a clear picture
205
00:09:36,875 --> 00:09:38,583
{\an1}of a descent into madness.
206
00:09:38,708 --> 00:09:40,333
{\an1}They start off perfectly normal,
207
00:09:40,417 --> 00:09:42,500
{\an1}but once he hits
the Sargasso Sea,
208
00:09:42,625 --> 00:09:44,625
{\an1}Crowhurst starts writing
mathematical formulas
209
00:09:44,750 --> 00:09:47,625
{\an1}that he claims
represent a universal truth.
210
00:09:47,750 --> 00:09:50,250
{\an1}He disputes Einstein's
theory of relativity,
211
00:09:50,375 --> 00:09:51,792
{\an1}and his magnum opus...
212
00:09:51,875 --> 00:09:55,500
{\an1}a rambling
25,000-word meditation
213
00:09:55,625 --> 00:09:58,250
{\an1}on freewill, perception,
and the nature of God.
214
00:09:58,375 --> 00:10:01,625
{\an1}SAMI: He wraps all of this up
with his final words,
215
00:10:01,750 --> 00:10:04,875
{\an1}quote, "I have no need
to prolong the game.
216
00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:07,583
{\an1}"It is finished.
It is finished.
217
00:10:07,708 --> 00:10:09,583
{\an1}It is the mercy."
218
00:10:09,708 --> 00:10:11,167
{\an1}This is someone
who has experienced
219
00:10:11,292 --> 00:10:12,667
{\an1}some sort of mental instability,
220
00:10:12,750 --> 00:10:14,500
{\an1}which may have led
to his suicide.
221
00:10:14,583 --> 00:10:17,000
{\an1}But was this due
to prolonged exposure
222
00:10:17,167 --> 00:10:19,542
{\an1}to rotting sargassum?
223
00:10:19,708 --> 00:10:22,667
{\an1}MARTIN: Let's just assume
that sargassum is to blame
224
00:10:22,792 --> 00:10:25,500
{\an1}for the Ellen Austin
and the Crowhurst incidents,
225
00:10:25,625 --> 00:10:28,333
{\an1}along with other entanglements
and shipwrecks.
226
00:10:28,500 --> 00:10:30,667
{\an1}The problem is,
this doesn't solve
227
00:10:30,750 --> 00:10:33,042
{\an1}all the mysteries
of what's been going on here.
228
00:10:33,208 --> 00:10:37,208
{\an1}SAMI: While the Sargasso Sea
is pretty sizeable,
229
00:10:37,333 --> 00:10:40,333
{\an1}it only takes up part
of the Bermuda Triangle.
230
00:10:40,500 --> 00:10:42,500
{\an1}There are many incidents
on ships
231
00:10:42,667 --> 00:10:44,792
{\an1}that didn't come
anywhere close to the seaweed.
232
00:10:44,875 --> 00:10:47,708
{\an1}So, we know for sure
that it's not the whole answer.
233
00:10:47,875 --> 00:10:49,355
{\an1}There must be something else
going on.
234
00:10:53,375 --> 00:10:54,976
{\an1}LAURENCE: From the time
of Christopher Columbus,
235
00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:56,625
{\an1}the dangers
of the Bermuda Triangle
236
00:10:56,708 --> 00:10:59,250
{\an1}are ascribed to deadly seaweed.
237
00:10:59,375 --> 00:11:00,625
{\an1}It's an interesting idea,
238
00:11:00,708 --> 00:11:02,125
{\an1}but because seaweed only covers
239
00:11:02,208 --> 00:11:03,500
{\an1}part of the Triangle,
240
00:11:03,667 --> 00:11:05,625
{\an1}it can't explain everything.
241
00:11:05,708 --> 00:11:07,500
{\an1}LAURENCE: Could another
sailor's tale
242
00:11:07,583 --> 00:11:09,833
{\an1}offer a different explanation?
243
00:11:09,958 --> 00:11:12,750
{\an1}SAMI: It starts off
as something of a legend
244
00:11:12,875 --> 00:11:14,125
{\an1}among weather-hardened,
245
00:11:14,208 --> 00:11:15,417
{\an1}sea-weary sailors.
246
00:11:15,542 --> 00:11:17,167
{\an1}As they share stories
247
00:11:17,292 --> 00:11:19,125
{\an1}over a pint in the pub,
you may hear a tale
248
00:11:19,208 --> 00:11:21,958
{\an1}of some enormous wave
as big as a mountain
249
00:11:22,083 --> 00:11:24,000
{\an1}capable of destroying a ship,
250
00:11:24,125 --> 00:11:27,000
{\an1}sweeping away its crew,
or just swallowing it whole.
251
00:11:27,125 --> 00:11:30,375
{\an1}And for most of
the 500-or-so-year history
252
00:11:30,542 --> 00:11:32,042
{\an1}of transatlantic shipping,
253
00:11:32,167 --> 00:11:35,542
{\an1}these have been thought
to be myths or exaggerations.
254
00:11:35,667 --> 00:11:38,667
{\an1}LAURENCE:
Then, in the 19th century,
255
00:11:38,792 --> 00:11:41,333
{\an1}French explorer
Jules Dumont d'Urville
256
00:11:41,500 --> 00:11:45,583
{\an1}reports seeing 100-foot waves
in a different body of water...
257
00:11:45,708 --> 00:11:47,667
{\an1}the Indian Ocean.
258
00:11:47,792 --> 00:11:50,917
{\an1}However, no one believes him.
259
00:11:51,042 --> 00:11:53,750
{\an1}During that time, the models
that oceanographers use
260
00:11:53,875 --> 00:11:56,792
{\an1}to predict wave height say
that these random giant waves
261
00:11:56,875 --> 00:11:58,667
{\an1}are an impossibility.
262
00:11:58,792 --> 00:12:01,583
{\an1}LAURENCE: But a recent discovery
shows d'Urville
263
00:12:01,708 --> 00:12:03,333
{\an1}might have been right.
264
00:12:03,500 --> 00:12:07,417
{\an1}These phenomena have been
observed, measured, and proven,
265
00:12:07,542 --> 00:12:09,333
{\an1}and we call them rogue waves.
266
00:12:13,208 --> 00:12:17,667
{\an1}LAURENCE: The proof comes
on New Year's Day, 1995.
267
00:12:17,750 --> 00:12:20,333
{\an1}SAMI: About 100 miles
off the coast of Norway,
268
00:12:20,500 --> 00:12:23,125
{\an1}there's an oil-drilling platform
called the Draupner.
269
00:12:23,208 --> 00:12:24,625
{\an1}In addition
to its main equipment,
270
00:12:24,750 --> 00:12:27,125
{\an1}it contains a whole
slew of instruments
271
00:12:27,208 --> 00:12:31,333
{\an1}that can monitor wave height,
slope, acceleration, et cetera.
272
00:12:31,417 --> 00:12:34,333
{\an1}On January 1st of 1995,
273
00:12:34,458 --> 00:12:37,042
{\an1}a laser range finder
274
00:12:37,167 --> 00:12:39,958
{\an1}on the bottom of this
oil-drilling platform
275
00:12:40,042 --> 00:12:43,750
{\an1}measures a wave
headed for the Draupner.
276
00:12:43,875 --> 00:12:46,000
{\an1}DUSTIN: The Draupner wave,
as it becomes known,
277
00:12:46,083 --> 00:12:49,500
{\an1}seems to come out of nowhere
and measures 85 feet high.
278
00:12:49,667 --> 00:12:51,250
{\an1}It has characteristics
that don't fit
279
00:12:51,375 --> 00:12:53,125
{\an1}any previous wave model.
280
00:12:54,875 --> 00:12:57,500
{\an1}SAMI: Researchers have found
that rogue waves differ
281
00:12:57,625 --> 00:12:59,208
{\an1}from regular waves
in a few ways.
282
00:12:59,333 --> 00:13:02,667
{\an1}First is that they are greater
than twice the size
283
00:13:02,792 --> 00:13:04,672
{\an1}of surrounding waves...
These things are massive.
284
00:13:04,708 --> 00:13:07,125
{\an1}And they are also
notoriously unpredictable
285
00:13:07,208 --> 00:13:09,500
{\an1}and arise unexpectedly
from directions
286
00:13:09,667 --> 00:13:11,167
{\an1}other than the prevailing winds.
287
00:13:11,250 --> 00:13:13,375
{\an1}So, these things could
potentially come from anywhere.
288
00:13:13,542 --> 00:13:17,208
{\an1}PAUL: These rogue waves,
because they are so gigantic,
289
00:13:17,375 --> 00:13:20,000
{\an1}so tall, so steep,
and moving so quickly,
290
00:13:20,167 --> 00:13:24,333
{\an1}they can carry up to 16 times
the amount of force
291
00:13:24,500 --> 00:13:26,583
{\an1}than a regular wave.
292
00:13:26,708 --> 00:13:30,125
{\an1}And in fact,
the bigger the ship,
293
00:13:30,208 --> 00:13:34,292
{\an1}the worse you fare
when it comes to rogue waves,
294
00:13:34,417 --> 00:13:37,375
{\an1}because these rogue waves,
they don't come on slowly.
295
00:13:37,542 --> 00:13:41,000
{\an1}They're not giant, wide things.
296
00:13:41,167 --> 00:13:44,250
{\an1}They're very sharp,
they're like cliffs of water.
297
00:13:44,375 --> 00:13:47,167
{\an1}And so, when a ship
encounters a rogue wave,
298
00:13:47,250 --> 00:13:50,167
{\an1}it gets sent straight up
the side of the cliff,
299
00:13:50,292 --> 00:13:53,167
{\an1}and then when it reaches
the top, it teeters over
300
00:13:53,292 --> 00:13:55,583
{\an1}and slams back down
into the water.
301
00:13:55,708 --> 00:13:57,583
{\an1}And the bigger
the ship you have,
302
00:13:57,708 --> 00:13:59,458
{\an1}the more force there is,
303
00:13:59,542 --> 00:14:02,250
{\an1}and the more damage
that rogue wave can do.
304
00:14:02,375 --> 00:14:06,167
{\an1}That kind of massive force
grossly exceeds the limit
305
00:14:06,292 --> 00:14:09,083
{\an1}of what ocean vessels today
can tolerate.
306
00:14:09,208 --> 00:14:11,667
{\an1}So, you could only imagine what
it would do to a wooden ship
307
00:14:11,833 --> 00:14:13,250
{\an1}from hundreds of years ago.
308
00:14:13,375 --> 00:14:16,833
{\an1}It would decimate it
in one fell swoop.
309
00:14:18,125 --> 00:14:20,833
{\an1}LAURENCE: But scientists still
aren't certain what causes them.
310
00:14:22,083 --> 00:14:23,559
{\an1}DUSTIN: One idea
is that they're caused
311
00:14:23,583 --> 00:14:25,500
{\an1}by constructive interference.
312
00:14:25,583 --> 00:14:28,000
{\an1}This is when different waves
travel at different speeds
313
00:14:28,125 --> 00:14:30,000
{\an1}and start to pile up
on each other.
314
00:14:30,125 --> 00:14:32,042
{\an1}SAMI: Now, constructive
interference can occur
315
00:14:32,208 --> 00:14:36,542
{\an1}when huge storms converge from
multiple directions at once.
316
00:14:36,667 --> 00:14:41,208
{\an1}LAURENCE: The Bermuda Triangle
is well known for such storms.
317
00:14:41,375 --> 00:14:43,625
{\an1}The Triangle is right in
the middle of Hurricane Alley,
318
00:14:43,750 --> 00:14:45,000
{\an1}where storms from the north
319
00:14:45,167 --> 00:14:46,792
{\an1}and the south can come together.
320
00:14:46,917 --> 00:14:48,684
{\an1}If there's a third storm
that comes in from Florida,
321
00:14:48,708 --> 00:14:50,167
{\an1}forget about it.
322
00:14:50,333 --> 00:14:52,500
{\an1}You've got the recipe
for a deadly rogue wave.
323
00:14:54,042 --> 00:14:56,000
{\an1}LAURENCE: This phenomenon
might explain
324
00:14:56,083 --> 00:14:59,042
{\an1}a series
of mysterious shipwrecks.
325
00:14:59,208 --> 00:15:01,083
{\an1}SAMI: One ship
that may have been impacted
326
00:15:01,208 --> 00:15:03,917
{\an1}by these rogue waves
is the USS Cyclops.
327
00:15:04,042 --> 00:15:06,292
{\an1}Back in 1918, it was one
of the largest ships
328
00:15:06,375 --> 00:15:09,208
{\an1}in the U.S. Navy,
measuring 550 feet long
329
00:15:09,333 --> 00:15:11,500
{\an1}with a crew of over 300 people.
330
00:15:11,667 --> 00:15:14,125
{\an1}MARTIN: On March 4th,
after the ship is loaded up
331
00:15:14,208 --> 00:15:17,875
{\an1}with over 11,000 tons
of manganese ore,
332
00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:19,500
{\an1}it embarks on a voyage from
333
00:15:19,667 --> 00:15:21,875
{\an1}the West Indies to Baltimore.
334
00:15:23,042 --> 00:15:26,000
{\an1}After nine days at sea,
the Cyclops sends a message
335
00:15:26,125 --> 00:15:29,667
{\an1}that reads, quote,
"weather fair, all well."
336
00:15:29,792 --> 00:15:32,042
{\an1}This is the last message
it ever sends.
337
00:15:32,167 --> 00:15:35,083
{\an1}The entire ship
just seems to vanish,
338
00:15:35,208 --> 00:15:38,083
{\an1}along with its crew,
without even an SOS.
339
00:15:38,208 --> 00:15:41,208
{\an1}MARTIN: It's an absolute
heartbreaking catastrophe.
340
00:15:41,333 --> 00:15:43,625
{\an1}To this day,
aside from active combat,
341
00:15:43,750 --> 00:15:47,708
{\an1}the USS Cyclops was the largest
loss of life to the Navy.
342
00:15:49,542 --> 00:15:52,833
{\an1}LAURENCE: In 1941,
two more Navy ships
343
00:15:52,958 --> 00:15:55,333
{\an1}meet a similar fate.
344
00:15:55,458 --> 00:15:57,167
{\an1}JASON: The USS Proteus,
decommissioned
345
00:15:57,292 --> 00:15:59,542
{\an1}after World War I,
departs the Virgin Islands
346
00:15:59,667 --> 00:16:02,708
{\an1}with 58 crew members
and a cargo of bauxite.
347
00:16:02,833 --> 00:16:05,042
{\an1}It never reaches
its destination.
348
00:16:05,167 --> 00:16:07,500
{\an1}A month later, the USS Nereus
349
00:16:07,583 --> 00:16:10,167
{\an1}leaves from the same place
with the same type of cargo.
350
00:16:10,250 --> 00:16:12,667
{\an1}Sadly, it suffers
the same tragedy.
351
00:16:12,792 --> 00:16:14,625
{\an1}The ship
and the 61 people aboard
352
00:16:14,708 --> 00:16:16,500
{\an1}are never seen again.
353
00:16:16,625 --> 00:16:19,583
{\an1}SAMI: Both the Proteus
and the Nereus
354
00:16:19,708 --> 00:16:21,458
{\an1}are sister ships to the Cyclops.
355
00:16:21,542 --> 00:16:24,833
{\an1}All three, massive,
strongly fortified vessels,
356
00:16:24,917 --> 00:16:26,250
{\an1}all gone.
357
00:16:26,375 --> 00:16:29,458
{\an1}How can an enormous ship
just go "poof"
358
00:16:29,583 --> 00:16:30,875
{\an1}and just disappear?
359
00:16:31,042 --> 00:16:33,500
{\an1}PAUL: Even if you destroy
a big ship,
360
00:16:33,625 --> 00:16:36,583
{\an1}there's gonna be lots of bits
and pieces floating around.
361
00:16:36,708 --> 00:16:39,708
{\an1}It is very odd for a giant ship
362
00:16:39,833 --> 00:16:41,417
{\an1}to go missing without a trace.
363
00:16:41,542 --> 00:16:44,250
{\an1}MARTIN: But in these cases,
there's nothing.
364
00:16:44,375 --> 00:16:46,083
{\an1}These certainly sound
like candidates
365
00:16:46,208 --> 00:16:48,125
{\an1}for rogue wave disasters.
366
00:16:48,208 --> 00:16:52,792
{\an1}LAURENCE: In 2018,
oceanographer Simon Boxall
367
00:16:52,917 --> 00:16:55,208
{\an1}attempts to prove this theory.
368
00:16:55,375 --> 00:16:57,458
{\an1}PAUL: At the University
of Southampton,
369
00:16:57,542 --> 00:17:02,208
{\an1}Boxall conducts an experiment
to investigate if rogue waves
370
00:17:02,375 --> 00:17:05,208
{\an1}could destroy modern
oceangoing vessels.
371
00:17:05,333 --> 00:17:09,166
{\an1}And specifically,
Dr. Boxall was trying to explore
372
00:17:09,291 --> 00:17:13,916
{\an1}whether the USS Cyclops
was destroyed by a rogue wave.
373
00:17:14,041 --> 00:17:16,333
{\an1}And we can't recreate
that exact scenario,
374
00:17:16,416 --> 00:17:19,291
{\an1}so instead,
he built a scale model.
375
00:17:19,375 --> 00:17:21,583
{\an1}SAMI: And once
the simulators are turned on,
376
00:17:21,708 --> 00:17:25,708
{\an1}enormous waves rise up
and easily destroy the model.
377
00:17:25,875 --> 00:17:29,667
{\an1}Boxall's study demonstrates just
how powerful these waves are.
378
00:17:29,792 --> 00:17:33,125
{\an1}PAUL: They come out of nowhere.
You don't have warning.
379
00:17:33,250 --> 00:17:36,375
{\an1}You may not even have time
to send a distress signal
380
00:17:36,542 --> 00:17:38,458
{\an1}before you're simply
consumed by it.
381
00:17:39,708 --> 00:17:41,333
{\an1}LAURENCE: For some,
this experiment
382
00:17:41,458 --> 00:17:44,292
{\an1}solves a long-standing mystery.
383
00:17:44,417 --> 00:17:47,167
{\an1}We've actually proven
the existence of rogue waves,
384
00:17:47,292 --> 00:17:49,042
{\an1}and we've proven that
they can happen
385
00:17:49,167 --> 00:17:50,542
{\an1}all over the Bermuda Triangle.
386
00:17:50,667 --> 00:17:53,458
{\an1}Some people would say that,
yeah, rogue waves
387
00:17:53,542 --> 00:17:55,458
{\an1}are likely responsible
for the disappearance
388
00:17:55,542 --> 00:17:58,708
{\an1}of the USS Cyclops as well
as a number of other ships
389
00:17:58,833 --> 00:18:00,250
{\an1}in the Bermuda Triangle.
390
00:18:00,375 --> 00:18:02,417
{\an1}MARTIN: And for
the non-wrecked boats
391
00:18:02,542 --> 00:18:04,333
{\an1}that have turned up
with their crew missing,
392
00:18:04,458 --> 00:18:06,667
{\an1}perhaps a small rogue wave
could have tipped the boat,
393
00:18:06,792 --> 00:18:08,750
{\an1}and everybody fell overboard.
394
00:18:08,875 --> 00:18:13,167
{\an1}LAURENCE: But this still
doesn't explain every incident.
395
00:18:13,333 --> 00:18:15,458
{\an1}Now, if you came to me
with all of this information
396
00:18:15,583 --> 00:18:17,750
{\an1}and told me that rogue waves
are responsible
397
00:18:17,875 --> 00:18:21,333
{\an1}for every single missing ship
in the Bermuda Triangle,
398
00:18:21,458 --> 00:18:24,333
{\an1}I might have a difficult time
arguing with you,
399
00:18:24,458 --> 00:18:28,333
{\an1}but ships aren't the only things
that have disappeared here.
400
00:18:28,458 --> 00:18:30,083
{\an1}What about all the airplanes?
401
00:18:33,792 --> 00:18:35,792
{\an1}LAURENCE: For centuries,
ships have gone missing
402
00:18:35,875 --> 00:18:39,500
{\an1}in the notorious
Bermuda Triangle.
403
00:18:39,583 --> 00:18:43,333
{\an1}But after airplanes
are invented in 1903,
404
00:18:43,417 --> 00:18:46,292
{\an1}some follow the same
mysterious fate.
405
00:18:46,417 --> 00:18:48,375
{\an1}Perhaps the most famous incident
406
00:18:48,500 --> 00:18:52,667
{\an1}occurs on December 5th, 1945.
407
00:18:52,750 --> 00:18:56,833
{\an1}Around 2pm, five U.S. Navy
torpedo bombers
408
00:18:57,000 --> 00:19:00,167
{\an1}collectively known as Flight 19
409
00:19:00,292 --> 00:19:02,792
{\an1}take off from
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida,
410
00:19:02,917 --> 00:19:05,125
{\an1}on a routine training flight.
411
00:19:05,250 --> 00:19:07,042
{\an1}SAMI: The 14 men on these planes
412
00:19:07,167 --> 00:19:09,417
{\an1}are extremely
competent soldiers.
413
00:19:09,542 --> 00:19:11,542
{\an1}They've logged over 300 hours
in the air.
414
00:19:11,708 --> 00:19:13,768
{\an1}They know what they're doing.
And the flight's leader,
415
00:19:13,792 --> 00:19:17,000
{\an1}Lieutenant Charles Taylor, is an
incredibly experienced pilot
416
00:19:17,125 --> 00:19:18,875
{\an1}who successfully flew numerous
417
00:19:19,042 --> 00:19:20,500
{\an1}combat missions in World War II.
418
00:19:20,667 --> 00:19:22,750
{\an1}So, we're talking about
the best of the best.
419
00:19:22,875 --> 00:19:25,292
{\an1}These are Top Gun type of guys.
420
00:19:25,375 --> 00:19:27,417
{\an1}MARTIN: The exercise
begins normally.
421
00:19:27,542 --> 00:19:29,250
{\an1}Everything starts smoothly.
422
00:19:29,375 --> 00:19:30,708
{\an1}But soon after entering
423
00:19:30,875 --> 00:19:32,083
{\an1}the Bermuda Triangle,
424
00:19:32,208 --> 00:19:33,833
{\an1}something strange happens.
425
00:19:33,958 --> 00:19:37,208
{\an1}SAMI: Lieutenant Taylor radios
that his plane's compass
426
00:19:37,333 --> 00:19:38,833
{\an1}is malfunctioning,
and he believes
427
00:19:38,917 --> 00:19:40,708
{\an1}that they're flying
in the wrong direction.
428
00:19:40,833 --> 00:19:42,292
{\an1}But they're not.
429
00:19:42,375 --> 00:19:44,958
{\an1}Something has caused the airmen
or their equipment
430
00:19:45,083 --> 00:19:48,458
{\an1}to become
mysteriously disoriented.
431
00:19:49,750 --> 00:19:53,333
{\an1}LAURENCE: The situation worsens
when a heavy storm rolls in.
432
00:19:53,458 --> 00:19:55,393
{\an1}DUSTIN: At this point,
the pilots are very confused.
433
00:19:55,417 --> 00:19:56,537
{\an1}They believe they've drifted
434
00:19:56,583 --> 00:19:58,500
{\an1}hundreds of miles off course,
435
00:19:58,667 --> 00:20:00,583
{\an1}somewhere near the Florida Keys.
436
00:20:00,708 --> 00:20:03,500
{\an1}SAMI: As they get farther
and farther away,
437
00:20:03,625 --> 00:20:06,667
{\an1}their radio communications
become increasingly faint.
438
00:20:06,750 --> 00:20:10,000
{\an1}And after hours of flying,
they're running out of fuel.
439
00:20:10,125 --> 00:20:12,292
{\an1}Their last recorded
communications
440
00:20:12,417 --> 00:20:14,208
{\an1}discuss having
to ditch the planes
441
00:20:14,333 --> 00:20:16,667
{\an1}when they get below
10 gallons of fuel.
442
00:20:17,792 --> 00:20:20,000
{\an1}MARTIN: From that point on,
their transmission cuts out.
443
00:20:20,125 --> 00:20:21,708
{\an1}The only thing
the naval base hears
444
00:20:21,875 --> 00:20:23,250
{\an1}is an eerie buzz.
445
00:20:23,375 --> 00:20:26,750
{\an1}LAURENCE: It's the last time
any of these men
446
00:20:26,875 --> 00:20:29,042
{\an1}are seen or heard from.
447
00:20:29,167 --> 00:20:31,434
{\an1}DUSTIN: Despite their high-level
skills and some of the day's
448
00:20:31,458 --> 00:20:33,708
{\an1}most technologically
advanced aircraft,
449
00:20:33,833 --> 00:20:37,625
{\an1}all five planes
and 14 crew members are lost.
450
00:20:37,708 --> 00:20:41,208
{\an1}LAURENCE: The tragedy
doesn't end there.
451
00:20:41,375 --> 00:20:44,333
{\an1}The Navy immediately releases
two large seaplanes
452
00:20:44,500 --> 00:20:46,417
{\an1}to hunt for Flight 19.
453
00:20:46,542 --> 00:20:49,167
{\an1}After 27 minutes,
one of those seaplanes
454
00:20:49,292 --> 00:20:51,292
{\an1}radios back that
they're approaching
455
00:20:51,417 --> 00:20:53,958
{\an1}Flight 19's last location.
456
00:20:54,083 --> 00:20:56,333
{\an1}SAMI: But then,
this rescue plane
457
00:20:56,458 --> 00:20:57,833
{\an1}is never heard from again.
458
00:20:57,917 --> 00:20:59,833
{\an1}It vanishes off the radar.
459
00:20:59,917 --> 00:21:02,417
{\an1}The blip just disappears.
460
00:21:02,542 --> 00:21:04,667
{\an1}Shockingly, the remains
of that plane
461
00:21:04,792 --> 00:21:07,667
{\an1}and its 13 crewmen
are never recovered either.
462
00:21:07,792 --> 00:21:11,250
{\an1}The other plane keeps looking,
but finds nothing,
463
00:21:11,375 --> 00:21:13,000
{\an1}and ends up
just returning to the base.
464
00:21:13,125 --> 00:21:15,792
{\an1}DUSTIN: No bodies, no debris.
465
00:21:15,875 --> 00:21:17,458
{\an1}No sign at all
that these aircraft
466
00:21:17,542 --> 00:21:19,167
{\an1}even ever existed.
467
00:21:19,292 --> 00:21:21,833
{\an1}JASON: Six planes
and 27 men are gone.
468
00:21:21,958 --> 00:21:23,125
{\an1}It's like they just vanished
469
00:21:23,208 --> 00:21:24,500
{\an1}off the face of the Earth.
470
00:21:24,583 --> 00:21:26,292
{\an1}Now, all of a sudden,
the sargassum
471
00:21:26,375 --> 00:21:28,083
{\an1}and rogue wave theories,
472
00:21:28,208 --> 00:21:30,292
{\an1}though they are scientifically
credible,
473
00:21:30,375 --> 00:21:32,292
{\an1}they seem a lot less likely
as the root cause
474
00:21:32,375 --> 00:21:34,167
{\an1}of the Triangle's problems,
475
00:21:34,292 --> 00:21:36,375
{\an1}because they simply
don't impact the air.
476
00:21:36,542 --> 00:21:38,500
{\an1}The planes are flying
at 4,000 feet.
477
00:21:38,625 --> 00:21:40,167
{\an1}I don't care
if it's the perfect storm,
478
00:21:40,250 --> 00:21:41,625
{\an1}no wave can do that.
479
00:21:41,750 --> 00:21:43,833
{\an1}SAMI: People have studied
Flight 19
480
00:21:43,958 --> 00:21:46,667
{\an1}for almost 80 years now,
and nobody believes
481
00:21:46,833 --> 00:21:49,083
{\an1}that they were brought down
by waves or seaweed.
482
00:21:50,458 --> 00:21:55,000
{\an1}LAURENCE: Then, in 2015,
Russian scientist Igor Yeltsov
483
00:21:55,167 --> 00:21:57,792
{\an1}offers a possible explanation.
484
00:21:57,875 --> 00:21:59,667
{\an1}SAMI: While working
at the Trofimuk Institute
485
00:21:59,833 --> 00:22:02,333
{\an1}of Petroleum Geology
and Geophysics,
486
00:22:02,458 --> 00:22:05,500
{\an1}Yeltsov proposes that
the Bermuda Triangle's dangers
487
00:22:05,583 --> 00:22:07,667
{\an1}are caused
by an undersea build-up
488
00:22:07,792 --> 00:22:10,875
{\an1}and subsequent explosion
of methane gas.
489
00:22:15,875 --> 00:22:18,833
{\an1}PAUL: Methane itself
is a colorless, odorless gas.
490
00:22:18,958 --> 00:22:20,125
{\an1}You might be familiar
491
00:22:20,250 --> 00:22:22,000
{\an1}with methane as natural gas
492
00:22:22,083 --> 00:22:23,167
{\an1}to heat your home.
493
00:22:23,250 --> 00:22:25,458
{\an1}But in very special cases,
494
00:22:25,583 --> 00:22:27,417
{\an1}especially at the bottom
of the ocean,
495
00:22:27,542 --> 00:22:30,542
{\an1}these pockets of natural gas
can get so compressed,
496
00:22:30,667 --> 00:22:33,042
{\an1}that they turn
essentially into an ice,
497
00:22:33,208 --> 00:22:34,292
{\an1}into a form of solid.
498
00:22:34,417 --> 00:22:36,333
{\an1}DUSTIN: If the sea floor cracks,
499
00:22:36,417 --> 00:22:38,667
{\an1}or that ice gets pushed up
to touch the water,
500
00:22:38,833 --> 00:22:40,875
{\an1}an exceptional amount
of gas can be released.
501
00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:43,667
{\an1}SAMI: You ever drop
dry ice into water,
502
00:22:43,750 --> 00:22:46,018
{\an1}like, for Halloween, you know,
so you can make that fake fog?
503
00:22:46,042 --> 00:22:49,500
{\an1}Now, imagine all that happened
in the span of an instant
504
00:22:49,625 --> 00:22:52,833
{\an1}with all that gas
trapped in a bubble under water.
505
00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:56,167
{\an1}LAURENCE: The gas heats up
the surrounding water
506
00:22:56,292 --> 00:22:59,417
{\an1}and surges
quickly to the surface.
507
00:22:59,542 --> 00:23:01,625
{\an1}DUSTIN:
Methane is highly flammable,
508
00:23:01,750 --> 00:23:03,667
{\an1}so the intense heat
from the plane's exhaust
509
00:23:03,833 --> 00:23:05,708
{\an1}could cause a massive explosion,
510
00:23:05,875 --> 00:23:08,458
{\an1}enough to blow the plane
to smithereens.
511
00:23:09,583 --> 00:23:12,000
{\an1}LAURENCE: Could this also
explain what happened
512
00:23:12,083 --> 00:23:14,250
{\an1}to the missing rescue plane?
513
00:23:14,375 --> 00:23:15,809
{\an1}JASON: The night
of the Flight 19 incident,
514
00:23:15,833 --> 00:23:18,750
{\an1}a tanker ship,
the SS Gaines Mills,
515
00:23:18,875 --> 00:23:21,167
{\an1}reports seeing flames from
an apparent explosion
516
00:23:21,292 --> 00:23:23,375
{\an1}billowing 100 feet high.
517
00:23:23,542 --> 00:23:24,934
{\an1}SAMI: Maybe the
search-and-rescue seaplane
518
00:23:24,958 --> 00:23:27,208
{\an1}flies through the same patch
of methane gas,
519
00:23:27,375 --> 00:23:29,083
{\an1}their engine exhaust
ignites the methane
520
00:23:29,208 --> 00:23:31,833
{\an1}and destroys the plane.
521
00:23:31,917 --> 00:23:33,601
{\an1}JASON: But let's say
the plane doesn't explode
522
00:23:33,625 --> 00:23:35,917
{\an1}and the pilot manages
to keep it aloft.
523
00:23:36,042 --> 00:23:38,708
{\an1}DUSTIN: If an airplane
were to hit this gas bubble,
524
00:23:38,833 --> 00:23:40,833
{\an1}there's a few possible things
that could go wrong.
525
00:23:40,917 --> 00:23:43,292
{\an1}SAMI: For example,
if a plane suddenly flies
526
00:23:43,375 --> 00:23:45,208
{\an1}into a patch of methane gas,
527
00:23:45,333 --> 00:23:47,542
{\an1}a pilot would quickly
lose control.
528
00:23:47,667 --> 00:23:50,250
{\an1}His wings, his engines,
his instruments
529
00:23:50,375 --> 00:23:52,917
{\an1}are all calibrated
to create loft in air,
530
00:23:53,042 --> 00:23:55,333
{\an1}not methane, which has
a totally different density.
531
00:23:55,417 --> 00:23:58,375
{\an1}So, the plane would just drop.
532
00:23:58,542 --> 00:24:01,333
{\an1}JASON: Well, methane affects
the human brain too.
533
00:24:01,458 --> 00:24:02,833
{\an1}If a pilot inhales the gas,
534
00:24:02,917 --> 00:24:04,417
{\an1}it will reduce
the amount of oxygen
535
00:24:04,542 --> 00:24:05,708
{\an1}they draw in from the air.
536
00:24:09,542 --> 00:24:12,500
{\an1}SAMI: This can cause
mood changes, slurred speech,
537
00:24:12,583 --> 00:24:14,667
{\an1}vision problems, memory loss,
538
00:24:14,792 --> 00:24:17,833
{\an1}and most notably,
disorientation.
539
00:24:17,917 --> 00:24:21,667
{\an1}So, if those 14 men
that were a part of Flight 19
540
00:24:21,833 --> 00:24:24,583
{\an1}inhaled a significant amount
of methane gas,
541
00:24:24,708 --> 00:24:27,833
{\an1}it is possible that they would
become so disoriented
542
00:24:27,917 --> 00:24:29,768
{\an1}that they'd have trouble
reading their compasses
543
00:24:29,792 --> 00:24:31,583
{\an1}and discerning where they are.
544
00:24:31,708 --> 00:24:35,667
{\an1}LAURENCE: In 2016,
one year after Yeltsov
545
00:24:35,792 --> 00:24:38,750
{\an1}publishes his theory,
another team
546
00:24:38,875 --> 00:24:41,792
{\an1}looks for further evidence
to support it.
547
00:24:41,875 --> 00:24:44,875
{\an1}Researchers
at Arctic University in Norway
548
00:24:45,042 --> 00:24:48,333
{\an1}study multiple giant craters
on the floor of the Barents Sea.
549
00:24:48,458 --> 00:24:52,250
{\an1}PAUL: These massive craters
on the sea floor
550
00:24:52,375 --> 00:24:55,667
{\an1}were created
thousands of years ago,
551
00:24:55,792 --> 00:24:58,167
{\an1}and the best explanation
for them
552
00:24:58,250 --> 00:25:01,083
{\an1}is exploding methane deposits.
553
00:25:01,208 --> 00:25:04,167
{\an1}SAMI: And these same craters are
present in the Bermuda Triangle.
554
00:25:04,250 --> 00:25:07,000
{\an1}So, these methane gas explosions
555
00:25:07,125 --> 00:25:09,125
{\an1}have almost certainly
happened there.
556
00:25:10,292 --> 00:25:13,083
{\an1}LAURENCE: If true,
this story could also explain
557
00:25:13,208 --> 00:25:15,292
{\an1}the Triangle's lost ships.
558
00:25:16,458 --> 00:25:18,000
{\an1}SAMI: When the gas
explodes underwater,
559
00:25:18,125 --> 00:25:20,875
{\an1}it creates this giant sinkhole
at the surface.
560
00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:23,833
{\an1}Think of a toilet flushing
with extreme force.
561
00:25:23,917 --> 00:25:25,833
{\an1}The suction created
from the blast
562
00:25:25,958 --> 00:25:28,500
{\an1}would suck any large object
down below the surface,
563
00:25:28,667 --> 00:25:30,458
{\an1}never to be seen again...
564
00:25:30,583 --> 00:25:32,875
{\an1}even something
as large as a ship.
565
00:25:33,042 --> 00:25:34,708
{\an1}MARTIN: Just like in
an airplane,
566
00:25:34,833 --> 00:25:38,000
{\an1}methane offsets the oxygen
which we need to breathe,
567
00:25:38,125 --> 00:25:40,167
{\an1}so it could easily
confuse sailors
568
00:25:40,292 --> 00:25:41,875
{\an1}that are in the ocean around it.
569
00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:44,542
{\an1}It checks most of the boxes
of what we've seen
570
00:25:44,667 --> 00:25:46,167
{\an1}in the Bermuda Triangle.
571
00:25:46,333 --> 00:25:49,333
{\an1}Unfortunately, until we get
some sort of eyewitness account,
572
00:25:49,458 --> 00:25:51,250
{\an1}we won't know
if it's the answer.
573
00:25:55,208 --> 00:25:57,750
{\an1}Over the last 500 years,
the Bermuda Triangle
574
00:25:57,875 --> 00:25:59,792
{\an1}has claimed some 8,000 lives
575
00:25:59,917 --> 00:26:02,208
{\an1}and hundreds of ships
and airplanes,
576
00:26:02,375 --> 00:26:04,667
{\an1}none with a definitive cause.
577
00:26:04,792 --> 00:26:09,333
{\an1}But in 2019,
a shocking new theory emerges
578
00:26:09,500 --> 00:26:11,833
{\an1}thanks to a scientist
who experienced
579
00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:15,000
{\an1}a surprising event in the area.
580
00:26:16,583 --> 00:26:18,833
{\an1}PAUL: One of the top
investigators
581
00:26:18,958 --> 00:26:21,792
{\an1}studying shipwrecks
in the Bermuda Triangle
582
00:26:21,875 --> 00:26:24,167
{\an1}is Dr. Phillipe Rouja.
583
00:26:24,250 --> 00:26:25,583
{\an1}He's the Custodian
584
00:26:25,708 --> 00:26:27,417
{\an1}of Historic Wrecks at Bermuda's
585
00:26:27,542 --> 00:26:28,792
{\an1}Department of the Environment
586
00:26:28,875 --> 00:26:30,917
{\an1}and Natural Resources.
587
00:26:31,042 --> 00:26:33,208
{\an1}SAMI: It's his job to go
in and out of the Triangle
588
00:26:33,375 --> 00:26:34,833
{\an1}all the time, and to investigate
589
00:26:34,958 --> 00:26:36,625
{\an1}and keep tabs on the hundreds
590
00:26:36,750 --> 00:26:38,667
{\an1}of shipwrecks surrounding
Bermuda.
591
00:26:38,792 --> 00:26:41,667
{\an1}LAURENCE: So far,
Rouja has managed
592
00:26:41,792 --> 00:26:45,625
{\an1}to defy the odds, despite some
unusual incidents.
593
00:26:45,708 --> 00:26:47,518
{\an1}MARTIN: When he was out diving
in the early 2000s,
594
00:26:47,542 --> 00:26:49,625
{\an1}he encountered a strange
phenomenon.
595
00:26:49,750 --> 00:26:52,458
{\an1}None of his compasses
were actually working.
596
00:26:52,583 --> 00:26:56,000
{\an1}He had multiple compasses
on his dive gear and his boat,
597
00:26:56,125 --> 00:26:57,958
{\an1}and they were all pointing
in different ways,
598
00:26:58,083 --> 00:26:59,583
{\an1}none of which were accurate.
599
00:26:59,708 --> 00:27:01,458
{\an1}And because
he's a lifelong local
600
00:27:01,542 --> 00:27:03,083
{\an1}and conditions were clear,
601
00:27:03,208 --> 00:27:05,417
{\an1}he was able to find his way
back to Bermuda by sight.
602
00:27:06,708 --> 00:27:08,628
{\an1}LAURENCE: Rouja has since
discovered several more
603
00:27:08,708 --> 00:27:11,667
{\an1}of what he calls
hotspots in the Triangle,
604
00:27:11,750 --> 00:27:15,000
{\an1}places that make
navigational tools useless.
605
00:27:15,125 --> 00:27:16,875
{\an1}Clearly, this could be
the reason
606
00:27:17,042 --> 00:27:20,333
{\an1}why some of the wrecks,
both planes and boats,
607
00:27:20,458 --> 00:27:21,917
{\an1}could have happened in the area.
608
00:27:22,042 --> 00:27:23,833
{\an1}LAURENCE:
But why is it happening?
609
00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:26,375
{\an1}MARTIN: After hearing
many stories like Rouja's,
610
00:27:26,500 --> 00:27:28,542
{\an1}scientists investigate.
611
00:27:28,667 --> 00:27:31,667
{\an1}In a 2019 study
published in Nature,
612
00:27:31,792 --> 00:27:33,500
{\an1}they might have found the cause,
613
00:27:33,583 --> 00:27:36,500
{\an1}and it has to do with
the make-up of Bermuda itself.
614
00:27:36,625 --> 00:27:38,542
{\an1}JASON:
Bermuda is a volcanic island,
615
00:27:38,667 --> 00:27:40,500
{\an1}like Hawaii and many others.
616
00:27:40,625 --> 00:27:41,833
{\an1}But researchers discover that
617
00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:43,875
{\an1}Bermuda has one major
difference.
618
00:27:44,042 --> 00:27:46,625
{\an1}DUSTIN: Most lava comes
from about 20 miles deep.
619
00:27:46,750 --> 00:27:48,667
{\an1}But the lava that formed Bermuda
620
00:27:48,792 --> 00:27:50,917
{\an1}came from a whopping 400 miles
621
00:27:51,042 --> 00:27:52,833
{\an1}below the surface of the Earth.
622
00:27:52,958 --> 00:27:54,333
{\an1}JASON: That's immensely deeper,
623
00:27:54,417 --> 00:27:56,667
{\an1}and obviously much closer
to the Earth's core.
624
00:27:56,792 --> 00:27:59,208
{\an1}This is entirely unique
to Bermuda.
625
00:27:59,333 --> 00:28:01,375
{\an1}LAURENCE: This geologic feature
turns out
626
00:28:01,500 --> 00:28:04,125
{\an1}to have surprising consequences.
627
00:28:04,208 --> 00:28:06,875
{\an1}Because this volcanic rock
in and around Bermuda
628
00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:09,167
{\an1}originated so deep
within the Earth,
629
00:28:09,292 --> 00:28:13,042
{\an1}it has a heavy concentration
of a mineral called magnetite.
630
00:28:13,167 --> 00:28:16,875
{\an1}In fact,
Bermuda is 18-20% magnetite,
631
00:28:17,042 --> 00:28:19,500
{\an1}nearly 20 times more
than typical soil.
632
00:28:19,625 --> 00:28:23,417
{\an1}Magnetite is the most magnetic
naturally occurring mineral
633
00:28:23,542 --> 00:28:25,000
{\an1}on the planet.
634
00:28:25,125 --> 00:28:27,184
{\an1}DUSTIN: And this is what
could be making so many ships
635
00:28:27,208 --> 00:28:29,417
{\an1}and airplanes go haywire
in the Triangle.
636
00:28:34,542 --> 00:28:35,875
{\an1}LAURENCE: In other words,
637
00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:39,833
{\an1}Bermuda is basically
a giant magnet.
638
00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:42,200
{\an1}SAMI: This phenomenon can be
pretty easily demonstrated.
639
00:28:42,250 --> 00:28:44,917
{\an1}If you pass a compass
over a small amount
640
00:28:45,042 --> 00:28:47,583
{\an1}of Bermuda's magnetite-rich
limestone,
641
00:28:47,708 --> 00:28:49,542
{\an1}it can throw it off
by several degrees.
642
00:28:49,667 --> 00:28:52,000
{\an1}DUSTIN: And that's just
one little rock.
643
00:28:52,125 --> 00:28:54,708
{\an1}There's 500 billion tons
of this stuff
644
00:28:54,875 --> 00:28:56,500
{\an1}in the Bermuda Triangle,
645
00:28:56,625 --> 00:28:58,125
{\an1}so just imagine
what that could do.
646
00:28:58,208 --> 00:29:01,375
{\an1}Without a trustworthy compass,
ships can easily veer off course
647
00:29:01,542 --> 00:29:02,708
{\an1}and crash into the rocks.
648
00:29:02,833 --> 00:29:05,458
{\an1}LAURENCE: But what about planes?
649
00:29:05,542 --> 00:29:08,542
{\an1}Planes would have problems
with not only their compass,
650
00:29:08,667 --> 00:29:10,250
{\an1}but also their
altimeter readings.
651
00:29:10,375 --> 00:29:12,583
{\an1}A pilot could get
quite disoriented
652
00:29:12,708 --> 00:29:14,667
{\an1}and potentially make
a fatal mistake.
653
00:29:14,792 --> 00:29:16,208
{\an1}LAURENCE:
According to one pilot,
654
00:29:16,375 --> 00:29:19,417
{\an1}magnetite could also
be powerful enough
655
00:29:19,542 --> 00:29:23,292
{\an1}to generate a literal cloud
of magnetism.
656
00:29:23,417 --> 00:29:27,000
{\an1}MARTIN: In 2017, Bruce Gernon
publishes a book
657
00:29:27,125 --> 00:29:29,542
{\an1}called
"Beyond the Bermuda Triangle."
658
00:29:29,708 --> 00:29:32,167
{\an1}In it, he recounts
many pilots' stories
659
00:29:32,292 --> 00:29:35,917
{\an1}saying they've been in
this electronic fog.
660
00:29:37,042 --> 00:29:39,833
{\an1}SAMI: Until the modern advent
of GPS navigation,
661
00:29:39,958 --> 00:29:41,958
{\an1}the compass is the tool
that enables travelers
662
00:29:42,083 --> 00:29:44,167
{\an1}to accurately navigate
the globe.
663
00:29:44,292 --> 00:29:46,125
{\an1}It does this by always pointing
664
00:29:46,250 --> 00:29:49,167
{\an1}in a constant direction...
Magnetic north.
665
00:29:49,333 --> 00:29:52,000
{\an1}JASON: It can, however,
be instantly rendered inaccurate
666
00:29:52,167 --> 00:29:54,167
{\an1}by the presence
of a strong magnet.
667
00:29:54,292 --> 00:29:56,750
{\an1}DUSTIN: According to Gernon,
electronic fog
668
00:29:56,875 --> 00:29:59,625
{\an1}is like a grayish cloud
of electromagnetic fields
669
00:29:59,708 --> 00:30:01,167
{\an1}that form above the ocean.
670
00:30:01,292 --> 00:30:02,750
{\an1}It can appear out of nowhere
671
00:30:02,875 --> 00:30:04,333
{\an1}and completely engulf
an aircraft.
672
00:30:04,458 --> 00:30:08,125
{\an1}SAMI: Gernon himself says
he experiences this phenomenon
673
00:30:08,208 --> 00:30:10,500
{\an1}while flying through the heart
of the Bermuda Triangle.
674
00:30:10,583 --> 00:30:13,500
{\an1}His airplane is suddenly
surrounded by a strange fog
675
00:30:13,625 --> 00:30:15,458
{\an1}that he can't break through.
676
00:30:15,542 --> 00:30:17,542
{\an1}It seems to stick to his plane,
677
00:30:17,667 --> 00:30:21,333
{\an1}and he experiences
the sensation of zero gravity
678
00:30:21,458 --> 00:30:23,708
{\an1}as it propels
his aircraft forward.
679
00:30:23,833 --> 00:30:26,000
{\an1}LAURENCE: According to Gernon,
680
00:30:26,083 --> 00:30:29,833
{\an1}once he's out of the Triangle,
the cloud disintegrates.
681
00:30:29,958 --> 00:30:31,792
{\an1}SAMI: When his instruments
work again,
682
00:30:31,917 --> 00:30:35,333
{\an1}he realizes that he just
traveled 100 miles
683
00:30:35,458 --> 00:30:38,042
{\an1}in only three minutes
and 20 seconds.
684
00:30:38,208 --> 00:30:41,042
{\an1}He landed
30 minutes ahead of time.
685
00:30:41,208 --> 00:30:44,917
{\an1}The fog practically
teleported him.
686
00:30:45,042 --> 00:30:46,958
{\an1}Gernon and the others
he cites in his book
687
00:30:47,042 --> 00:30:48,583
{\an1}believe that
the natural magnetism
688
00:30:48,708 --> 00:30:51,208
{\an1}in the Bermuda Triangle
may be giving the droplets
689
00:30:51,375 --> 00:30:54,417
{\an1}within the fog an
electromagnetic charge.
690
00:30:54,542 --> 00:30:57,667
{\an1}SAMI: If this is true,
then those droplets
691
00:30:57,833 --> 00:31:00,167
{\an1}would naturally be attracted
to anything they encounter,
692
00:31:00,292 --> 00:31:02,792
{\an1}and once they're attached,
they're dense enough
693
00:31:02,875 --> 00:31:05,292
{\an1}to carry a vessel
right along with them.
694
00:31:05,417 --> 00:31:07,833
{\an1}MARTIN: It's kind of like
a magical carpet ride,
695
00:31:07,958 --> 00:31:10,083
{\an1}where if you're lucky,
it'll send you
696
00:31:10,208 --> 00:31:12,000
{\an1}in the direction
that you wanna go.
697
00:31:12,125 --> 00:31:14,000
{\an1}But if you're unlucky,
it might send you
698
00:31:14,125 --> 00:31:15,542
{\an1}into a watery grave.
699
00:31:15,708 --> 00:31:18,000
{\an1}LAURENCE:
Despite Gernon's claims,
700
00:31:18,125 --> 00:31:20,667
{\an1}mainstream science has yet
to support the existence
701
00:31:20,792 --> 00:31:23,000
{\an1}of electronic fog.
702
00:31:23,083 --> 00:31:26,208
{\an1}Gernon himself
isn't a scientist.
703
00:31:26,333 --> 00:31:29,000
{\an1}He's an accomplished pilot
and flight instructor,
704
00:31:29,167 --> 00:31:30,917
{\an1}but not a physicist.
705
00:31:31,042 --> 00:31:32,682
{\an1}SAMI: And based on
a lot of his experience
706
00:31:32,708 --> 00:31:33,917
{\an1}flying through the Triangle,
707
00:31:34,042 --> 00:31:36,667
{\an1}this is what
he personally believes.
708
00:31:36,792 --> 00:31:38,750
{\an1}Now, Gernon claims
to have worked
709
00:31:38,875 --> 00:31:40,833
{\an1}with numerous
scientists who all believe
710
00:31:40,958 --> 00:31:42,708
{\an1}that this phenomenon
is plausible,
711
00:31:42,833 --> 00:31:44,875
{\an1}and maybe to him, it is.
712
00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:47,958
{\an1}But until we have some hard data
713
00:31:48,042 --> 00:31:50,458
{\an1}or visual evidence
like a video recording,
714
00:31:50,583 --> 00:31:54,042
{\an1}I think it's too early
to blame electronic fog
715
00:31:54,167 --> 00:31:56,083
{\an1}for disappearances
in the Bermuda Triangle.
716
00:31:56,208 --> 00:32:00,000
{\an1}DUSTIN: Meanwhile, the magnetite
around Bermuda is proven,
717
00:32:00,167 --> 00:32:01,917
{\an1}and we're still
only beginning to uncover
718
00:32:02,042 --> 00:32:04,333
{\an1}all the strange effects
it might be causing.
719
00:32:08,292 --> 00:32:10,125
{\an1}LAURENCE: For some,
the most startling thing
720
00:32:10,250 --> 00:32:12,125
{\an1}about the Bermuda Triangle
mystery
721
00:32:12,250 --> 00:32:15,125
{\an1}isn't the number
of lives it's claimed.
722
00:32:15,208 --> 00:32:18,375
{\an1}It's the number of vessels
that have seemingly vanished
723
00:32:18,500 --> 00:32:20,000
{\an1}into thin air.
724
00:32:20,083 --> 00:32:22,000
{\an1}When ships and planes go down,
725
00:32:22,083 --> 00:32:23,542
{\an1}most of the time, we can find
726
00:32:23,667 --> 00:32:25,542
{\an1}at least some of the wreckage.
727
00:32:25,667 --> 00:32:28,292
{\an1}Even 2014's Malaysia Flight 370,
728
00:32:28,375 --> 00:32:31,708
{\an1}one of the most mysterious
plane crashes of all time,
729
00:32:31,833 --> 00:32:33,542
{\an1}we still don't know
where it crashed.
730
00:32:33,667 --> 00:32:36,333
{\an1}But a bunch of wreckage
eventually washed up.
731
00:32:36,458 --> 00:32:38,583
{\an1}LAURENCE: However,
with the disappearances
732
00:32:38,708 --> 00:32:43,000
{\an1}in the Bermuda Triangle,
it's a different story.
733
00:32:43,167 --> 00:32:44,487
{\an1}JASON: These things
just disappear
734
00:32:44,542 --> 00:32:45,583
{\an1}like they never existed.
735
00:32:45,708 --> 00:32:47,417
{\an1}Not even a trace of an airframe
736
00:32:47,542 --> 00:32:49,333
{\an1}or an anchor chain.
737
00:32:49,458 --> 00:32:50,917
{\an1}For a number of these
disappearances,
738
00:32:51,042 --> 00:32:52,667
{\an1}such as Flight 19
739
00:32:52,792 --> 00:32:54,333
{\an1}or the USS Cyclops,
740
00:32:54,458 --> 00:32:56,500
{\an1}massive search efforts
are undertaken,
741
00:32:56,625 --> 00:32:58,833
{\an1}yet nothing is ever found.
742
00:32:58,958 --> 00:33:01,583
{\an1}But logically, an explosion,
or a freak wave,
743
00:33:01,708 --> 00:33:04,250
{\an1}or even just a crash
would leave some debris behind.
744
00:33:04,375 --> 00:33:06,208
{\an1}So, how come there isn't any?
745
00:33:07,375 --> 00:33:11,333
{\an1}LAURENCE: In 2014, physics
and meteorology professor
746
00:33:11,500 --> 00:33:15,708
{\an1}David Pares suggests
a surprising new answer
747
00:33:15,875 --> 00:33:17,458
{\an1}to that question.
748
00:33:17,583 --> 00:33:18,851
{\an1}He thinks that some
of these vessels
749
00:33:18,875 --> 00:33:19,934
{\an1}were never found because they
750
00:33:19,958 --> 00:33:21,042
{\an1}were transported out
751
00:33:21,167 --> 00:33:22,500
{\an1}of the Bermuda Triangle
752
00:33:22,625 --> 00:33:23,625
{\an1}and into another place...
753
00:33:23,750 --> 00:33:26,667
{\an1}not by magic,
but a scientific phenomenon
754
00:33:26,750 --> 00:33:29,000
{\an1}that he calls a space warp,
755
00:33:29,083 --> 00:33:31,042
{\an1}but you might know
as a wormhole.
756
00:33:35,458 --> 00:33:37,667
{\an1}A wormhole is a tunnel
or a passage
757
00:33:37,750 --> 00:33:39,250
{\an1}through space and time.
758
00:33:39,375 --> 00:33:42,375
{\an1}It's basically a shortcut
created by gravity
759
00:33:42,500 --> 00:33:44,184
{\an1}which can take you from
one part of the universe
760
00:33:44,208 --> 00:33:46,125
{\an1}and place you in another.
761
00:33:46,208 --> 00:33:48,458
{\an1}Wormholes are strictly
theoretical
762
00:33:48,583 --> 00:33:50,208
{\an1}at this time,
they've only been proven
763
00:33:50,375 --> 00:33:52,167
{\an1}to be mathematically possible
on paper.
764
00:33:52,250 --> 00:33:54,167
{\an1}They were discovered in 1935
765
00:33:54,250 --> 00:33:56,708
{\an1}by physicists Albert Einstein
and Nathan Rosen,
766
00:33:56,833 --> 00:34:00,208
{\an1}which is why they're also called
Einstein-Rosen bridges.
767
00:34:00,333 --> 00:34:03,167
{\an1}PAUL: And these are based
on Albert Einstein's
768
00:34:03,292 --> 00:34:05,250
{\an1}general theory of relativity,
769
00:34:05,375 --> 00:34:07,500
{\an1}which tells us that space
770
00:34:07,667 --> 00:34:09,417
{\an1}and time are interwoven.
771
00:34:09,542 --> 00:34:10,833
{\an1}We actually live
772
00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:13,333
{\an1}in a four-dimensional universe...
773
00:34:13,417 --> 00:34:16,375
{\an1}three dimensions of space
and one dimension of time.
774
00:34:16,542 --> 00:34:19,333
{\an1}LAURENCE: Is it possible
that a wormhole
775
00:34:19,458 --> 00:34:21,875
{\an1}could exist
in the Bermuda Triangle?
776
00:34:22,042 --> 00:34:25,375
{\an1}SAMI: If you take a look back at
Christopher Columbus' accounts
777
00:34:25,542 --> 00:34:27,333
{\an1}traveling through
the Bermuda Triangle,
778
00:34:27,458 --> 00:34:30,000
{\an1}he mentions something
incredibly strange.
779
00:34:30,125 --> 00:34:33,125
{\an1}He reports seeing
a great flame of fire
780
00:34:33,250 --> 00:34:35,333
{\an1}crashing into the sea one night.
781
00:34:35,458 --> 00:34:38,833
{\an1}And afterwards, he sees
strange lights in the distance,
782
00:34:38,917 --> 00:34:41,167
{\an1}and his compass readings
are erratic.
783
00:34:41,292 --> 00:34:43,875
{\an1}Today, experts believe
Columbus was witnessing
784
00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:46,333
{\an1}a meteor strike,
and if that's true,
785
00:34:46,458 --> 00:34:48,375
{\an1}there are those that believe
it could cause
786
00:34:48,542 --> 00:34:52,458
{\an1}enough of a gravitational
anomaly to form a wormhole.
787
00:34:52,542 --> 00:34:55,750
{\an1}LAURENCE: Today,
many institutions
788
00:34:55,875 --> 00:35:00,250
{\an1}and top physicists are delving
into the complex science
789
00:35:00,375 --> 00:35:02,583
{\an1}behind possible wormholes.
790
00:35:03,750 --> 00:35:05,710
{\an1}SAMI: Quantum mechanics
is the science of studying
791
00:35:05,875 --> 00:35:08,292
{\an1}subatomic particles,
the smallest building blocks
792
00:35:08,417 --> 00:35:10,500
{\an1}of our universe,
and how their motion
793
00:35:10,625 --> 00:35:13,333
{\an1}and interaction
relates to energy.
794
00:35:13,458 --> 00:35:15,708
{\an1}PAUL: Within quantum mechanics,
we understand
795
00:35:15,833 --> 00:35:19,583
{\an1}we know that at
the tiniest scales in nature,
796
00:35:19,708 --> 00:35:22,333
{\an1}microscopic wormholes
can naturally form
797
00:35:22,500 --> 00:35:25,500
{\an1}and then just
snap out of existence.
798
00:35:25,583 --> 00:35:27,833
{\an1}MARTIN: Now, we don't know
how to scale wormholes up
799
00:35:27,958 --> 00:35:32,542
{\an1}to fit a giant ship or aircraft,
but anything can happen.
800
00:35:32,667 --> 00:35:35,333
{\an1}PAUL: Theoretically,
wormholes allow you
801
00:35:35,458 --> 00:35:37,625
{\an1}to travel not just
through space,
802
00:35:37,708 --> 00:35:39,750
{\an1}but also through time.
803
00:35:39,875 --> 00:35:44,250
{\an1}It is actually possible,
if wormholes do exist,
804
00:35:44,375 --> 00:35:46,792
{\an1}for you to be able
to travel through them
805
00:35:46,917 --> 00:35:49,458
{\an1}and end up in your own past.
806
00:35:49,583 --> 00:35:52,167
{\an1}DUSTIN: And when you start
thinking about that possibility,
807
00:35:52,292 --> 00:35:54,333
{\an1}there's some stories
from the Bermuda Triangle
808
00:35:54,458 --> 00:35:56,333
{\an1}that perfectly fit
that description.
809
00:35:56,500 --> 00:35:59,292
{\an1}LAURENCE: Including one
that takes place
810
00:35:59,417 --> 00:36:03,042
{\an1}on June 7th, 1964.
811
00:36:03,208 --> 00:36:05,667
{\an1}There's a veteran pilot
who charters vacations
812
00:36:05,750 --> 00:36:08,500
{\an1}in the Bahamas, and her name
is Carolyn Cascio.
813
00:36:08,625 --> 00:36:10,292
{\an1}She's flying
through the Triangle,
814
00:36:10,417 --> 00:36:12,750
{\an1}and when she approaches
Grand Turk Island,
815
00:36:12,875 --> 00:36:15,333
{\an1}something odd happens.
816
00:36:15,458 --> 00:36:19,042
{\an1}Cascio radios the tower and says
that despite her instruments
817
00:36:19,167 --> 00:36:20,917
{\an1}telling her
that she's above the island,
818
00:36:21,042 --> 00:36:24,625
{\an1}when she looks out her window,
it appears to be uninhabited.
819
00:36:25,917 --> 00:36:27,375
{\an1}DUSTIN: This doesn't make sense.
820
00:36:27,542 --> 00:36:29,958
{\an1}Grand Turk has buildings,
farms, houses,
821
00:36:30,042 --> 00:36:31,625
{\an1}and a Navy base.
822
00:36:31,708 --> 00:36:33,375
{\an1}It has an airport
and a population
823
00:36:33,500 --> 00:36:35,958
{\an1}of nearly 5,000 people.
824
00:36:36,042 --> 00:36:38,042
{\an1}LAURENCE:
The tower assures Cascio
825
00:36:38,208 --> 00:36:40,125
{\an1}that she is at the right place
826
00:36:40,208 --> 00:36:43,375
{\an1}and clears her to land
at any time.
827
00:36:43,500 --> 00:36:46,167
{\an1}She circles frantically
over a dozen times,
828
00:36:46,250 --> 00:36:48,542
{\an1}and all she sees
are beaches and trees.
829
00:36:48,667 --> 00:36:51,250
{\an1}There are no towns,
no buildings,
830
00:36:51,375 --> 00:36:53,792
{\an1}and definitely no airport.
831
00:36:53,875 --> 00:36:55,833
{\an1}SAMI: Cascio finally decides
to turn around
832
00:36:56,000 --> 00:36:57,208
{\an1}and go back the way she came.
833
00:36:57,375 --> 00:37:00,583
{\an1}Sadly, she is never seen again.
834
00:37:00,708 --> 00:37:04,667
{\an1}Her last words are, quote,
"Is there no way out of this?"
835
00:37:04,750 --> 00:37:07,583
{\an1}MARTIN: Wormhole enthusiasts
believe that this is proof
836
00:37:07,708 --> 00:37:10,167
{\an1}that she actually
traveled back in time
837
00:37:10,333 --> 00:37:13,667
{\an1}to a time before
Grand Turk Island was developed.
838
00:37:14,875 --> 00:37:17,375
{\an1}SAMI: Even if you accept
the possibility of a wormhole
839
00:37:17,500 --> 00:37:19,875
{\an1}large enough to transport
a plane,
840
00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:22,458
{\an1}based on our current
understanding of science,
841
00:37:22,583 --> 00:37:26,375
{\an1}it would be impossible
for a person or object
842
00:37:26,500 --> 00:37:28,333
{\an1}to even survive the trip
843
00:37:28,458 --> 00:37:30,167
{\an1}due to the crushing gravity
within.
844
00:37:30,333 --> 00:37:32,000
{\an1}DUSTIN:
Obviously, if we could prove
845
00:37:32,125 --> 00:37:33,500
{\an1}the existence of wormholes,
846
00:37:33,583 --> 00:37:34,809
{\an1}that would be
one of the greatest
847
00:37:34,833 --> 00:37:36,875
{\an1}scientific discoveries
of all time.
848
00:37:37,042 --> 00:37:39,708
{\an1}SAMI: But until that day comes,
849
00:37:39,833 --> 00:37:42,708
{\an1}researchers are gonna have to
stick to the science they know
850
00:37:42,833 --> 00:37:44,542
{\an1}to solve the Bermuda Triangle
mystery.
851
00:37:49,458 --> 00:37:51,125
{\an1}LAURENCE: The phrase
"Bermuda Triangle"
852
00:37:51,208 --> 00:37:53,583
{\an1}conjures both curiosity
and fear,
853
00:37:53,708 --> 00:37:56,417
{\an1}and has inspired
many differing theories
854
00:37:56,542 --> 00:37:58,500
{\an1}around the strange
disappearances
855
00:37:58,625 --> 00:38:00,667
{\an1}in this mysterious area.
856
00:38:00,750 --> 00:38:02,167
{\an1}SAMI: Now, you might
be thinking,
857
00:38:02,292 --> 00:38:03,417
{\an1}"Well, the sargassum theory
858
00:38:03,542 --> 00:38:05,000
{\an1}"seems plausible,
859
00:38:05,125 --> 00:38:06,917
{\an1}"but that's just one small area
860
00:38:07,042 --> 00:38:08,417
{\an1}of the Bermuda Triangle."
861
00:38:08,542 --> 00:38:10,583
{\an1}Okay, so then,
how 'bout the rogue waves?
862
00:38:10,708 --> 00:38:12,292
{\an1}They certainly happen
in the Triangle,
863
00:38:12,375 --> 00:38:15,208
{\an1}but like sargassum,
they don't explain
864
00:38:15,333 --> 00:38:17,458
{\an1}the disappearance of airplanes.
865
00:38:17,542 --> 00:38:19,958
{\an1}MARTIN: Well, then how 'bout
a methane gas explosion?
866
00:38:20,042 --> 00:38:22,917
{\an1}Maybe, but you'd think
that a large explosion
867
00:38:23,042 --> 00:38:24,208
{\an1}would leave debris behind.
868
00:38:24,375 --> 00:38:27,500
{\an1}What about magnetite, wormholes,
869
00:38:27,583 --> 00:38:29,833
{\an1}or even electromagnetic fog?
870
00:38:29,958 --> 00:38:32,167
{\an1}Honestly, any one of these
could be attributed
871
00:38:32,292 --> 00:38:34,125
{\an1}to the disappearances
within the Triangle.
872
00:38:34,250 --> 00:38:38,750
{\an1}LAURENCE: Or, perhaps, could all
these theories be true?
873
00:38:44,667 --> 00:38:46,184
{\an1}DUSTIN: We generally talk
about the Bermuda Triangle
874
00:38:46,208 --> 00:38:47,417
{\an1}like there's only one
875
00:38:47,542 --> 00:38:48,833
{\an1}explanation for this mystery.
876
00:38:48,958 --> 00:38:50,917
{\an1}But given
the numerous disappearances
877
00:38:51,042 --> 00:38:54,500
{\an1}across more than 500 years,
there's absolutely no reason
878
00:38:54,583 --> 00:38:56,667
{\an1}why it needs to be only one
of these things.
879
00:38:56,792 --> 00:38:58,833
{\an1}There's a combination
of deadly factors
880
00:38:59,000 --> 00:39:00,375
{\an1}that are existing here.
881
00:39:00,500 --> 00:39:03,167
{\an1}MARTIN: Let's start with
the methane gas theory.
882
00:39:03,250 --> 00:39:05,583
{\an1}We know these things happen
within the Bermuda Triangle
883
00:39:05,708 --> 00:39:08,792
{\an1}based on evidence of craters
on the ocean floor.
884
00:39:08,875 --> 00:39:11,417
{\an1}So, it's likely that some
of these boat disappearances
885
00:39:11,542 --> 00:39:13,750
{\an1}were caused by methane bubbles.
886
00:39:13,875 --> 00:39:15,000
{\an1}SAMI: Other ships
887
00:39:15,167 --> 00:39:17,047
{\an1}have almost certainly been hit
with rogue waves.
888
00:39:17,208 --> 00:39:20,000
{\an1}We now know that they've been
scientifically proven to exist.
889
00:39:20,083 --> 00:39:22,292
{\an1}PAUL: We have records,
we even have photographs.
890
00:39:22,375 --> 00:39:24,167
{\an1}And the Bermuda Triangle
891
00:39:24,292 --> 00:39:25,667
{\an1}is in a location on the Earth
892
00:39:25,792 --> 00:39:28,875
{\an1}that is ripe for the formation
of rogue waves.
893
00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:31,920
{\an1}DUSTIN: So, it's quite possible
that a freak wave
894
00:39:31,958 --> 00:39:34,958
{\an1}could rise out of nowhere
and snap a vessel in two,
895
00:39:35,042 --> 00:39:38,792
{\an1}causing it to quickly sink
and essentially disappear.
896
00:39:38,875 --> 00:39:40,500
{\an1}There also may be a simple
explanation
897
00:39:40,625 --> 00:39:42,167
{\an1}for why no wreckage is found.
898
00:39:42,333 --> 00:39:44,500
{\an1}LAURENCE: Within
the Bermuda Triangle
899
00:39:44,625 --> 00:39:48,625
{\an1}is an undersea trench
called the Milwaukee Deep.
900
00:39:48,708 --> 00:39:50,958
{\an1}MARTIN: This is the deepest spot
within the Atlantic,
901
00:39:51,042 --> 00:39:53,750
{\an1}over 27,000 feet down.
902
00:39:53,875 --> 00:39:56,708
{\an1}PAUL: The Milwaukee Deep
is relatively unexplored.
903
00:39:56,833 --> 00:39:59,333
{\an1}There have only been
a couple expeditions
904
00:39:59,417 --> 00:40:02,500
{\an1}to those depths in that location
throughout all of history.
905
00:40:02,667 --> 00:40:04,875
{\an1}DUSTIN: If your ship
ends up sinking this deep,
906
00:40:05,000 --> 00:40:08,083
{\an1}it's really unlikely anyone's
gonna be able to spot it.
907
00:40:09,375 --> 00:40:12,250
{\an1}LAURENCE: What about the vessels
that aren't destroyed?
908
00:40:12,375 --> 00:40:14,417
{\an1}Not every anomaly
in the Bermuda Triangle
909
00:40:14,542 --> 00:40:15,917
{\an1}involves destruction.
910
00:40:16,042 --> 00:40:19,417
{\an1}Sometimes vessels
just get hopelessly lost.
911
00:40:19,542 --> 00:40:21,958
{\an1}We know that Bermuda is teeming
with volcanic rock
912
00:40:22,042 --> 00:40:24,833
{\an1}called magnetite
that makes compasses go crazy.
913
00:40:24,958 --> 00:40:28,000
{\an1}There are even warnings
on British admiralty charts
914
00:40:28,125 --> 00:40:30,917
{\an1}near Bermuda cautioning sailors
that their compasses
915
00:40:31,042 --> 00:40:33,500
{\an1}may be off
by as much as 14 degrees.
916
00:40:33,667 --> 00:40:35,125
{\an1}JASON: I think
the magnetic anomalies
917
00:40:35,208 --> 00:40:36,500
{\an1}are the most likely culprit
918
00:40:36,667 --> 00:40:38,417
{\an1}for the region's
plane crashes as well.
919
00:40:38,542 --> 00:40:39,862
{\an1}While they used
to be more common,
920
00:40:39,917 --> 00:40:42,333
{\an1}we've seen very few casualties
since the advent
921
00:40:42,417 --> 00:40:44,000
{\an1}of GPS navigation.
922
00:40:45,375 --> 00:40:47,735
{\an1}SAMI: One day, we may finally
get some substantial evidence,
923
00:40:47,792 --> 00:40:50,833
{\an1}or capture a video
of a destructive rogue wave,
924
00:40:50,958 --> 00:40:53,167
{\an1}or of the mysterious
electronic fog,
925
00:40:53,292 --> 00:40:55,875
{\an1}or, I don't know,
maybe a wormhole will open up
926
00:40:56,000 --> 00:40:57,833
{\an1}right over Bermuda
for the whole world to see.
927
00:40:57,958 --> 00:41:00,958
{\an1}But until then,
I think it's best
928
00:41:01,042 --> 00:41:03,125
{\an1}not to limit our minds
to what the Bermuda Triangle
929
00:41:03,208 --> 00:41:06,500
{\an1}could or couldn't be,
because there could be
930
00:41:06,625 --> 00:41:08,375
{\an1}a new scientific explanation
next year.
931
00:41:08,542 --> 00:41:11,000
{\an1}The possibilities are endless,
932
00:41:11,125 --> 00:41:12,958
{\an1}and that's what's kept
people fascinated
933
00:41:13,083 --> 00:41:15,167
{\an1}by the Bermuda Triangle
for so long.
934
00:41:18,958 --> 00:41:22,333
{\an1}In 2022, a particularly tragic
935
00:41:22,417 --> 00:41:23,625
{\an1}discovery was made
936
00:41:23,708 --> 00:41:25,167
{\an1}in the Bermuda Triangle
937
00:41:25,292 --> 00:41:26,833
{\an1}by an underwater film crew...
938
00:41:26,917 --> 00:41:28,708
{\an1}not the wreckage of a plane
939
00:41:28,833 --> 00:41:31,083
{\an1}or boat, but of the destroyed
940
00:41:31,208 --> 00:41:34,125
{\an1}1986 space shuttle Challenger,
941
00:41:34,250 --> 00:41:36,667
{\an1}another unexpected moment
942
00:41:36,792 --> 00:41:40,500
{\an1}in the long saga
of this mysterious area.
943
00:41:40,583 --> 00:41:42,375
{\an1}I'm Laurence Fishburne.
944
00:41:42,500 --> 00:41:43,833
{\an1}Thank you for watching
945
00:41:43,958 --> 00:41:46,667
{\an1}"History's Greatest Mysteries."
102528
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