Scientists and storytellers have been captivated by the imaginative potential of underwater civilization for centuries. In the ancient world we have stories of Atlantis, Lyonesse, and Ys to pique our interest. The very archeologist who proved the existence of Troy by discovering its ruins searched throughout his life for evidence of Atlantis’s existence. With it, he believed he would discover the very cradle of civilization. Today, we know that while the ocean is the last frontier of discovery in our world it is highly unlikely that we will ever find a civilization—or even the remains of one—on the sea floor. Still, the fascination remains to tempt us and we hold on to every glimmer of hope we have gathered through the years.
Atlantis Debunked?
The history of the search for Atlantis is peppered with discoveries that first appear to be man made, but inevitably turn out to be natural formations of the sea. Expeditions that set out to find signs of undersea ruins tend to come back with tales of runes and strange temple ruin. The problem is that often these sightings are unrepeatable or worse, they do not hold up upon a second and more skeptical viewing. It cannot be denied that there are many unsolved mysteries on the ocean floor however.
Modern Mysteries
Within recent memory, for example, scientists have discovered that contrary to expectation, deep-sea vents can and do support life. The discovery of even so small an organism as a thermophile has shown us that we do not yet know everything we thought we did about the world under the water. Deep-sea explorers and salvation experts could and would tell you he same thing. The ocean floor is a world all its own and it is one that we can only just barely comprehend. Who is to say that one day we shall not discover evidence of a lost continent or a lost city one day?
