Lost Volcanic Islands Discovered, Could Unlock Atlantis Mystery

Researchers in Spain have rediscovered mysterious lost islands that sank into the ocean millions of years ago, some of which still have intact beaches. Scientists believe these islands could be linked to the origin of the Atlantis legend.

“This could be the origin of the Atlantis legend,” stated Luis Somoza, the head of a project studying volcanic activity off the Canary Islands, in an interview with Live Science.

The team found that the islands, situated on an underwater mountain or seamount, once had nearly three inactive volcanoes and spanned about 31 miles (50 kilometers) in diameter.

The newly discovered seamount has been named Mount Los Atlantes by the researchers, inspired by the legendary civilization described by Plato, which was said to have been submerged by the gods as punishment for its people’s arrogance.

“They were islands in the past, and they have sunk, continuing to do so, as the legend of Atlantis suggests,” said Somoza, a geologist with the Geological and Mining Institute of Spain (IGME-CSIC), in a translated statement.

The discovery of Mount Los Atlantes occurred while scientists were exploring the seabed near the east coast of Lanzarote on the eastern side of the Canary Islands. They used a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) at depths ranging from 330 to 8,200 feet (100 to 2,500 meters).

This dive was part of the IGME-CSIC’s Atlantis project, aimed at understanding the region’s underwater volcanic and hydrothermal activity.

Mount Los Atlantes is believed to be part of a series of islands that existed during the Eocene epoch, between 56 million and 34 million years ago.

“We have identified beaches, cliffs, and sand dunes on the flat summit of the seamount,” Somoza explained to Live Science. He noted that the sand covering the volcanic rock was likely deposited as the islands were actively sinking.

Some of these beaches were found just 200 feet (60 meters) below the ocean’s surface. During the last ice age, when sea levels were much lower, the inactive volcanoes may have resurfaced as islands.

“These islands could have served as habitats for wildlife,” Somoza added. However, these volcanoes sank again when sea levels rose at the end of the ice age.