All articles tagged with #underwater geology
New studies presented at the 2024 Association of Japanese Geographers conference argue that the Yonaguni Monument’s sea-floor terraces are natural formations created by tectonic fracturing and erosion, not evidence of ancient human construction or Atlantis; while some researchers and visitors persist in the myth, no archaeological traces of humans have been found.
The Yonaguni Monument off Japan’s Yonaguni Island resembles a submerged citadel, but geologists say it’s a natural sandstone/mudstone formation shaped by fractures and erosion in an earthquake-prone area; while a small faction has claimed human modification, no archaeological evidence supports this, and ongoing surveys attribute the stepped blocks to natural tectonic and erosional processes.
Ocean explorers mapping the seabed off the coast of Guatemala have discovered a seamount twice the height of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building. The cone-shaped seamount, located 7,870 feet below sea level, covers 5.4 square miles and provides crucial rocky habitats for deep-sea corals and invertebrates. The discovery highlights the vast amount of unexplored seamounts in the ocean, with satellite data suggesting there are over 100,000 yet to be discovered. The finding is part of ongoing efforts to map the seafloor and understand the mysteries of the ocean.