Earth Mysteries

Earth mysteries refer to some scientific and unscientific ideas about certain historically important geographical locations on the Earth, which are shrouded in mysterious cultural and religious beliefs. The term 'Earth mysteries' was coined in the 1970s, when New Age Movement and modern paganism were born. Earth mysteries include all strange events that happen all over our planet, for which we do not have any logical, historical or scientific answers. Some elements of society like monuments, which were once thought to exist, but have no tangible record in history, are explained as a mystery or a myth.

There is no doubt that many unsolved mysteries on Earth owe their existence to many unexplained phenomena. Let us delve deeper into some of these phenomena that have been baffling many, since ages.

The Bermuda Triangle

Also known as Devil's Triangle, The Bermuda Triangle refers to a region in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean between Puerto Rico, Bermuda Island, and Florida. A number of aircraft and ships have gone missing under mysterious circumstances - beyond the boundaries of human error, equipment failure or any natural disasters - making this region one of the more mysterious places on Earth. Various theories have surfaced some even attributing these mysterious happenings to paranormal phenomena and extraterrestrial beings.

Although many written documents of the mishaps exist, they are unable to provide any explanation or reasons for the accidents. Numerous writers and scholars have turned to supernatural explanations in the absence of logic. Some refer to the submerged city of Atlantis, which lies off the Bimini island in the Bahamas as a reason for these unexplained incidents, while others attribute the disappearance of an aircraft above the triangle to Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs).

Some of the natural explanations that exist are:

• Compass problems or unusual magnetic anomalies that exist in the area have been cited in many incidents. However, this kind of ambiguity is present in other parts of the world too; a good example being the line running from Wisconsin to the Gulf of Mexico where the magnetic north (compass) and geographical north (true) are both the same.
• They may have been calculated acts of destruction, in times of war.
• At times of engine failure, boats or ships might have been carried away by the Gulf Stream ocean current that has a surface velocity of about 2.5 meters per second.
• Human errors and powerful hurricanes are other few possible explanations.

Atlantis

Few people say that the city of Atlantis was in the Caribbean, while others say it was located at the South Pole. There are even some people who say it never existed at all. The legend of the lost civilization came into light when Plato, a Greek philosopher and author, mentioned it in his dialogs, Timaeus and Critias. According to Plato's account, Atlantis was a naval power that conquered most of Europe. It was peaceful, prosperous and highly advanced in knowledge and governance. The legend says that after years of prosperity, Atlantis was destroyed by dreadful flooding and disappeared under the sea overnight.

Plato's accounts, however, did not clearly mention the location of Atlantis and historians have long been searching for this lost city. People still debate over the general location of it; whether it was in or near the Mediterranean Sea or in the Atlantic Ocean. Scholars argue that Plato's story was inspired by older traditions and events like the Trojan War. Whatever the truth, the legend of the lost city of Atlantis is one of the most intriguing Earth mysteries.

Crop Circles

Scientists feel that these are clever man-made designs but researchers maintain that these mysterious formations are unexplained. Whether crop circles should be included into the Earth mysteries or not is worth debating. Crop circles are different kinds of patterns created by flattening of the crops like barley, wheat, corn, rye and soy. These formations are complex and are often pictographs which represent cipher messages of unknown meaning. This phenomenon has been recorded by many people all over the world. While some feel that these are messages by extraterrestrials or aliens, there is no conclusive evidence regarding the formation of crop circles.

The Holy Grail

The Holy Grail, according to Christian mythology, was the plate or cup used by Jesus Christ during the Last Supper. Some stories suggest that the Holy Grail was the cup used by Joseph of Arimathea to catch the blood of Jesus during the time of his crucifixion. It is also said that Joseph of Arimathea later posted guards to keep it safe.

The development of the legend in the nineteenth century led historians to trace the Holy Grail in detail. Interest on the subject increased after the release of Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code, which highlights that it was the duty of the Knights Templar to keep the Holy Grail safe. The novel also claimed that the Holy Grail, which according to the author, are the earthly remains of Mary Magdalene, was buried under the Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland. Although many historians claim that the facts in the book are false, they still do not have the right answer to the mystery of the Holy Grail.

Stonehenge

Stonehenge, is without doubt the national icon of Britain, representing mystery and power. Historians, archaeologists and scientists are still unclear about the purpose of Stonehenge; whether it was a temple for the worship of ancient earth-deities, an astronomical observatory or the burial place of high-ranking officials.

Stonehenge is situated in a vast plain, surrounded by hundreds of round barrows, about 3.2 kilometers west of Amesbury and 13 kilometers north of Salisbury. Some recent theories have suggested Stonehenge was part of a ritual landscape, while others have suggested that it was a place for healing. There is also a significant amount of evidence that suggests stone cults existed in the prehistoric period. At Stonehenge, the stones were considered to have magical healing properties and were washed with water which was then poured into the baths to heal the sick.

These are but a few of the many interesting Earth mysteries. Apart from these, there are hundreds of mysteries which science does not have an answer for. These mysteries not only fascinate us but help our mind wander into a world wherein many things are still unknown.