This morning, another sensational headline claimed that the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle had finally been “solved.”
According to reports, scientists had discovered hexagonal-shaped clouds over the region that generate intense winds—so-called “air bombs”—capable of sinking ships and bringing down planes.
Sounds exciting, right?
There’s just one problem: the Bermuda Triangle has never been a real mystery to begin with.
For decades, stories about vanishing ships and doomed aircraft have captivated the public, fueling wild theories about everything from alien abductions to time warps.
But when researchers actually dug into the claims, they found something shocking: the disappearances were either exaggerated, misreported, or entirely made up.
So, if the Bermuda Triangle isn’t some supernatural death zone, why does the myth persist? \
And what’s the real story behind these so-called “air bomb” clouds?
Let’s separate fact from fiction.
The Birth of the Bermuda Triangle Myth
The idea of a “mysterious vortex of doom” in the Atlantic Ocean first gained attention in the 1950s when journalist Edward Van Winkle Jones wrote about an unusual number of ship and plane disappearances in the area bordered by Florida, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico.
The public was intrigued, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that the legend truly exploded.
That’s when author Charles Berlitz published The Bermuda Triangle, a best-selling book that popularized the idea of a deadly, unexplained force at work in the region.
Berlitz’s book suggested that forces like UFOs, Atlantis, and vortexes were to blame for the disappearances.
His work spawned dozens of conspiracy theories, fueling TV specials and Hollywood films.
But here’s the catch: no one actually fact-checked his claims.
When journalist Larry Kusche decided to investigate, he uncovered a major problem—there was no mystery to solve in the first place.
There Are No Unusual Disappearances
When Kusche painstakingly analyzed records of ships and planes that supposedly vanished under mysterious circumstances, he discovered something surprising:
- Many of the incidents were misreported. In some cases, the missing ships and planes never even existed—they were purely fictional stories.
- Others were real but not mysterious. Many so-called unexplained disappearances happened during bad storms, hurricanes, or known mechanical failures.
- Some vessels sank far outside the Bermuda Triangle but were wrongly associated with it later.
Author and skeptic Benjamin Radford put it bluntly in Live Science:
“In some cases, there’s no record of the ships and planes claimed to have been lost. In other cases, they disappeared in bad weather, and other times, they sank far outside the Bermuda Triangle.”
Put simply: the number of disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle is no greater than any other heavily traveled ocean region.
But by the time this fact came to light, the Bermuda Triangle myth had already taken on a life of its own.
What If the Real Mystery Isn’t the Bermuda Triangle, But Why We Still Believe in It?
By now, the evidence is clear: there is no Bermuda Triangle mystery.
Yet, the myth refuses to die.
Why?
Psychologists believe this is a perfect example of how humans crave mystery—even when the truth is right in front of us.
Think about it:
- The Bermuda Triangle taps into our love for the unknown—it’s far more exciting to imagine a supernatural force at play than to accept mundane explanations like bad weather or human error.
- The media thrives on sensationalism. “Scientists discover hexagonal clouds that create deadly air bombs” makes for a much catchier headline than “Weather is unpredictable, and accidents happen.”
- People tend to trust familiar stories over new facts. Once an idea is deeply ingrained in pop culture, it’s hard to erase, no matter how much evidence contradicts it.
This explains why every few years, the Bermuda Triangle pops up in the news again—despite researchers debunking it over and over.
And that brings us to today’s latest so-called breakthrough:
Hexagonal Clouds and “Air Bombs”—A Real Phenomenon, But Not a Bermuda Triangle Mystery
A new Science Channel documentary has revived interest in the Bermuda Triangle by claiming that hexagonal-shaped clouds over the region are creating intense wind bursts, leading to sudden shipwrecks and plane crashes.
According to satellite meteorologist Steve Miller, the clouds appear unusually straight-edged, which is rare in nature:
“You don’t typically see straight edges with clouds. Most of the time, clouds are random in their distribution.”
Researchers also found similar hexagonal cloud formations over the North Sea near the UK, where they were linked to powerful winds of up to 160 km/h (99 mph).
University of Arizona scientist Randy Cerveny described these wind bursts as “air bombs”:
“They are formed by what are called microbursts—blasts of air that come down out of the bottom of a cloud, hit the ocean, and create massive waves that interact with each other.”
Could these air bomb microbursts explain shipwrecks in the region?
Possibly.
But here’s the thing—this is a normal meteorological phenomenon, not a Bermuda Triangle secret.
These types of violent microbursts happen all over the world, yet no one suggests they’re evidence of supernatural forces in other regions.
And, once again, the key fact remains: there are no more shipwrecks or plane crashes in the Bermuda Triangle than anywhere else.
So while the hexagonal cloud discovery is interesting, it doesn’t prove that the Bermuda Triangle is anything other than a regular, well-traveled part of the ocean.
Why the Bermuda Triangle Still Captures Our Imagination
Even though the Bermuda Triangle myth has been debunked for decades, it continues to capture our imagination for a few key reasons:
1. It’s a Story That Refuses to Die
Once an idea is ingrained in culture, it becomes self-perpetuating. Books, movies, and TV shows keep the legend alive, even when the facts say otherwise.
2. People Love Unsolved Mysteries
The idea of a hidden, unexplained force in the ocean is thrilling. A scientific explanation about bad weather and accidents? Not so much.
3. The Internet Makes It Worse
Misinformation spreads faster than ever, and many online sources don’t fact-check claims before sharing them.
This keeps the Bermuda Triangle myth alive—even when there’s no evidence to support it.
The Real Lesson of the Bermuda Triangle
At its core, the Bermuda Triangle isn’t a mystery about disappearing ships—it’s a lesson in human psychology.
It shows how easily we:
Believe sensational stories over boring facts
Ignore evidence that contradicts what we want to believe
Prefer mystery over reality
So, next time you see another “Scientists Solve the Bermuda Triangle” headline, remember:
The Bermuda Triangle was never a mystery.
There’s nothing unusual about the number of disappearances.
Hexagonal clouds might create strong winds, but they don’t explain a mystery that never existed.
And perhaps the biggest takeaway? The real danger isn’t in the Bermuda Triangle—it’s in believing everything we read.
