The Bermuda Triangle: The Bermuda Triangle: Reasoning of the UnknownReasoning of the Unknown

David DeeseDavid Deese

What *is* the Bermuda What *is* the Bermuda Triangle?Triangle?

• The vast three-sided The vast three-sided segment of the segment of the Atlantic Ocean Atlantic Ocean bordered by Bermuda, bordered by Bermuda, Puerto Rico and Fort Puerto Rico and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.Lauderdale, Florida.

• Spans an area of Spans an area of around 500,000 around 500,000 square miles, but square miles, but some estimates are up some estimates are up to three times larger.to three times larger.

What *is* the Bermuda What *is* the Bermuda Triangle? Triangle?

• Reports of strange Reports of strange occurrences have been occurrences have been recorded as early as the recorded as early as the days of Columbus.days of Columbus.

• Sometimes the Coast Sometimes the Coast Guard answers more Guard answers more than 5,000 distress calls than 5,000 distress calls within the Triangle per within the Triangle per year.year.

• Also Known As: Also Known As:

“ “The Devil’s Triangle” The Devil’s Triangle”

What *is* the Bermuda What *is* the Bermuda Triangle?Triangle?• First dubbed “The First dubbed “The

Bermuda Triangle” by Bermuda Triangle” by writer V. Gaddis in a 1964 writer V. Gaddis in a 1964 issue of issue of ArgosyArgosy, a , a magazine devoted to magazine devoted to fiction.fiction.

• Public interest in the Public interest in the Bermuda Triangle Bermuda Triangle increased exponentially increased exponentially with the publication of with the publication of Charles Berlitz’s 1974 Charles Berlitz’s 1974 bestseller bestseller The Bermuda The Bermuda Triangle. Triangle.

Who the heck started this?!Who the heck started this?!

• 1492 – Columbus’s compass1492 – Columbus’s compass went haywire went haywire and it’s reported that he and his crew and it’s reported that he and his crew saw “weird lights” in the sky. saw “weird lights” in the sky.

• 1892 – The 1892 – The Mary CelesteMary Celeste is discovered is discovered abandoned on the high seas about 400 abandoned on the high seas about 400 miles off its intended course from New miles off its intended course from New York to Genoa. There was no sign of its York to Genoa. There was no sign of its crew of ten or what happened to them.crew of ten or what happened to them.

Why do we still believe this?Why do we still believe this?

• In a study of related material, Larry Kushe found that In a study of related material, Larry Kushe found that few people do few people do anyany investigation into the mystery investigation into the mystery whatsoever. They simply passed on the speculations whatsoever. They simply passed on the speculations of their predecessors as if they were passing on the of their predecessors as if they were passing on the mantle of truth. (AKA – Word of Mouth & Tell A mantle of truth. (AKA – Word of Mouth & Tell A Friend)Friend)

• In short, the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle In short, the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle became a mystery by a kind of communal became a mystery by a kind of communal reinforcement among uncritical authors and a willing reinforcement among uncritical authors and a willing mass media to uncritically pass on the speculation mass media to uncritically pass on the speculation that something mysterious is going on in the Atlantic.that something mysterious is going on in the Atlantic.

Who the heck started this?!Who the heck started this?!-The *REAL* Humdinger--The *REAL* Humdinger-

• December 5, 1945 – “Flight 19”December 5, 1945 – “Flight 19”

• Five Navy planes vanished without a trace Five Navy planes vanished without a trace on a training mission during a severe on a training mission during a severe storm. A rescue plane was dispatched to storm. A rescue plane was dispatched to find them and it too never returned. (27 find them and it too never returned. (27 men in all)men in all)

• An official Navy report of the incident An official Navy report of the incident insinuated that the planes disappeared... insinuated that the planes disappeared... ““as if they had flown to Marsas if they had flown to Mars.” .”

Common Ailments of the Common Ailments of the TriangleTriangle

• Strange Magnetic FieldsStrange Magnetic Fields

• Oceanic FlatulenceOceanic Flatulence

• AtlantisAtlantis

• Sporadic Interdimensional TravelSporadic Interdimensional Travel

• Time WarpsTime Warps

• Alien AbductionAlien Abduction

• What have *you* heard?What have *you* heard?

Why do we still believe this?Why do we still believe this?

• The current truth is so widely and easily The current truth is so widely and easily circulated and believed that the only way to circulated and believed that the only way to eliminate it would be for the Navy to make an eliminate it would be for the Navy to make an announcement to the Nation about it, but as announcement to the Nation about it, but as that costs lots of money, it’s doubtful they’ll do that costs lots of money, it’s doubtful they’ll do it even *if* they had the inclination to do so. it even *if* they had the inclination to do so.

• Many people have been exposed to the myth Many people have been exposed to the myth of the Bermuda Triangle before they learn the of the Bermuda Triangle before they learn the facts about the incidents in the Bermuda facts about the incidents in the Bermuda Triangle, which aren’t widely circulated to Triangle, which aren’t widely circulated to begin with.begin with.

The fairest thing to do...The fairest thing to do...

• Correlation – Investigate pastCorrelation – Investigate past incidents incidents within the Bermuda Triangle, searching for within the Bermuda Triangle, searching for authentic/government-issued reports. authentic/government-issued reports.

• Statistics – Construct a timeline of Statistics – Construct a timeline of incidents that occurred and compare this incidents that occurred and compare this distribution with that of other treacherous distribution with that of other treacherous areas of the world’s oceans to see if this areas of the world’s oceans to see if this area’s is significantly higher than that of area’s is significantly higher than that of other areas.other areas.

The fairest thing to do...The fairest thing to do...

• Conduct a study – Select a sizable number Conduct a study – Select a sizable number of ships (to be determined by researchers) of ships (to be determined by researchers) that will be passing through the Bermuda that will be passing through the Bermuda Triangle in a single year (or multiple years) Triangle in a single year (or multiple years) and survey the Captain and some of the and survey the Captain and some of the crew about the voyage across the crew about the voyage across the Triangle.Triangle.

What they *don’t* tell you...What they *don’t* tell you...

• ““Flight 19”: Nothing but the facts...Flight 19”: Nothing but the facts...• ““The rescue plane dispatched never returned.” – The rescue plane dispatched never returned.” –

Only because it blew up 23 seconds after takeoff. Only because it blew up 23 seconds after takeoff. And this particular design, the Mariner, was well And this particular design, the Mariner, was well known for it’s faulty gas tanks.known for it’s faulty gas tanks.

• ““No wreckage was ever found” – The planes were No wreckage was ever found” – The planes were possibly so far out in the Atlantic that they passed possibly so far out in the Atlantic that they passed the continental shelf; which would mean the the continental shelf; which would mean the planes sank into several thousand feet of water. planes sank into several thousand feet of water. (The deepest point in the Atlantic, at 30,100 feet (The deepest point in the Atlantic, at 30,100 feet deep, is also located in the Puerto Rico Trench deep, is also located in the Puerto Rico Trench *within* the Bermuda Triangle.)*within* the Bermuda Triangle.)

The Major holes we overlook... The Major holes we overlook...

• Most of the associated incidents can be explained by Most of the associated incidents can be explained by rational means.rational means.

• Most of these same incidents blamed on the Bermuda Most of these same incidents blamed on the Bermuda Triangle didn’t occur anywhere *near* the Triangle. Triangle didn’t occur anywhere *near* the Triangle. (The (The Mary CelesteMary Celeste was discovered off the coast of was discovered off the coast of Portugal.)Portugal.)

• Some incidents recorded as far away as the Pacific are Some incidents recorded as far away as the Pacific are blamed on the Bermuda Triangle without reason.blamed on the Bermuda Triangle without reason.

• The facts do not support the legend; there is no The facts do not support the legend; there is no mystery to be solved and nothing that needs mystery to be solved and nothing that needs explaining. The number of wrecks in this area is explaining. The number of wrecks in this area is notnot extraordinary given its size, location, and the amount extraordinary given its size, location, and the amount of traffic it receives.of traffic it receives.