The Truth Behind the Bermuda Triangle

National Geographic Channel - Original Air Date: Unknown (6/6/10)

This show dives into the deep and unleashes science and logic to uncover the truth behind the Bermuda Triangle - or so the opening claims. They go over the usual Triangle mythology, and present the usual raft of believers racking up big numbers for mysterious triangle disappearances.  Believers claim that no wreckage exists, and the disappearance may be caused by everything from UFOs to Atlantean death rays.  Joe Nickel believes that though there are mysteries, they have rational explanations.  The show examines the disappearance of Flight 19.  One expert blames electrically charged fog, and Bruce Gernon claims to have encountered it and experienced strange phenomena.  He believes that he saw the fabric of time itself.  He and meteorologist David Pares examine the account, and believe the fog may be caused by solar wind ionizing air and generating a charged cloud, which interferes with airplane instruments.  Pares thinks this same "fog" may have disrupted Flight 19, but skeptics point out there is no actual proof of the theory.  Gernon's flight to check out the theory experiences an electronic malfunction, which he writes off as a mechanical problem.

Other people believe that the missing ships and planes are merely lying on the bottom of the ocean.  They continue checking the many wrecks, looking for some of the famous ones.  Others believe that escaping methane may cause ships to sink by decreasing water density.  Model tests have shown that the Cyclops, a famous lost ship, could have been sunk by an event like this - and tests suggest perhaps methane could affect low-flying airplanes as well.  But such events would be as likely as being hit by a meteor.  The depths and currents in the area make it difficult to find any sunken vessel.  One of the original search team believes that Flight 19 simply got lost, went down, and broke up.  Many say that bad weather can explain many disappearances; others say rogue waves could be the cause.  But even when wrecks are found, it's hard to pin down exactly what they are, and thus the mysteries will likely continue for a long time.

This show is interesting for its experiments and use of models to check out various Triangle theories, including the ones mentioned in this review.