Atlantis
The Real Story of Atlantis
Plato, one of the greatest human minds of all time, wrote about the cataclysmic destruction of the ancient civilization of Atlantis. 2,300 years after Plato's death, many still question whether the story is a work of history or fantasy. The Greek philosopher's famous story recounts the tale of an advanced society who lived around 360 B.C. The civilization was made up of people who were half god, half human, and this utopian society had a great naval power.
Their home was a chain of islands separated by wide moats and linked by a canal in the center. The island was abundant in precious metals like silver and gold as well as wild, exotic wildlife. The capital city was located at the center of the island. Theories abound about the location of the island, but many believe it was located somewhere in the Mediterranean. Plato claimed the city existed 9,000 years before his time and that the story was passed down to him; however, no other record of the island’s existence besides Plato's account has ever been found.
Atlantis - Facts
Most of the scientific community believes that the island never existed; however, the legend is scientifically possible. For instance, cataclysmic floods and volcanic explosions have occurred throughout history. In fact, 3,600 years ago a massive volcanic explosion caused the destruction of the ancient Minoan society on the island of Santorini near Greece. This highly advanced society was killed suddenly, but Santorini's destruction doesn't coincide chronologically with Plato's story. Additionally, the legend of Atlantis is a story about a utopian society who becomes greedy and corrupt; and as punishment, the gods destroy their civilization. Because of this, many believe the philosopher’s story is a work of fiction with the common theme of man versus nature.
Atlantis - Coincidences
One reason Atlantis may have existed is that it simply hasn't been found. The story of Troy from 800 B.C. in Homer's Iliad was originally considered a myth. In the 1870s, excavation by Schliemann proved that Troy had actually existed, and the same may apply for Atlantis. Moreover, only five percent of the ocean has been explored, and 70 percent of the Earth is covered by water. With so much unchartered territory, it's quite possible that an advanced civilization existed and humans haven't discovered its vestiges yet.
Atlantis - Seismic Activity
Tectonic activity has also been attributed to the event. In the late 1980s, Masaaki Kimura, a Japanese marine biologist, found the remains of what he believes to be monuments, roadways, structures, castles and pyramids located off the coast of Yonaguni Jima. He believes Plato's Atlantis was sunk due to tectonic activity.
It’s worth noting that other scientists believe what he sees to be natural deep sea formations and not traces of structures built by a civilization. Other individuals have suggested that Atlantis was destroyed by an earthquake like Pompeii in A.D. 79 when 2,000 residents were unable to escape and died. Also, a tsunami caused by a massive earthquake could have destroyed the civilization. For example, a massive earthquake killed the Minoan society near Crete. New research suggests that the volcanic eruption at that time was 33 percent more powerful than originally estimated.
This earthquake could have caused a large tsunami that may have destroyed Atlantis. In fact, the tsunami that followed the 2011 Japan earthquake disaster traveled across the ocean at 500 miles per hour. A larger tsunami caused by an earthquake could have destroyed an ancient civilization like Atlantis.
Atlantis - The Lost City
For hundreds of years, people have questions the veracity of Plato's Atlantis. Many have speculated the location of the magical island from off the coast of Florida to the Mediterranean and recently to the Andes Mountains in Bolivia. Countless films and books have been created regarding the subject. One thing is certain, the story has continued to fathom people throughout the years, and the quest to find the Lost City remains intact.
