The mystery of the ‘Japanese Atlantis’: know the discovery that intrigues scientists

Perfect steps, straight edges, and apparently sculpted figures lead many to believe that rocky formation has been part of ‘submarine city’ maxppp/kyodo news/Picture alliance via DW just go down about 25 meters in the crystal clear waters that surround the Japanese island of Yonaguni in Japan to come across a spectacle that challenges the limits of archaeological conventions. ✅ Click here to follow the G1 international news channel on WhatsApp A massive massif measuring 100 meters by 40 and about 25 meters high stands on large steps, with straight edges and ramps that look like an exits of an old city model. Was it a ruin of an unknown civilization? Or simply an extraordinary rock formation? The discovery became known as the “Japanese Atlantis”. The region was located in 1986, when the Kihachiro Aratake diving instructor exploited the area, located about 100 kilometers east of Taiwan, in search of new scenarios to introduce tourists. As he approached, he came across gigantic stone structures that immediately resembled archaeological constructions. Surprised, Aratake warned researchers from the University of Ryukyu, starting the legend of the “Japanese Atlantis”, in reference to the fictional island mentioned in Plato’s works. Traces of a submerged civilization? Many geologists have studied Yonaguni’s mysterious structures, and most believe it is a BBC Natural Formation One of the main defenders of the hypothesis of human origin is Masaaki Kimura, Emeritus Professor of Geophysics at the University of Ryukyus, who spent decades studying the site. Kimura has no doubt: for him, what is under the sea would be remains of an ancient city, possibly built by the Jōmon people for over 10,000 years, when this region was not yet submerged due to the lowest sea level. Subsequently, Kimura reduced her estimate to around 2 to 3,000 years old, according to the specialized website IFL Science. “I immediately remembered the pyramids and thought I was in ancient Egypt,” said the teacher in a documentary quoted by the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung in 2017. As evidence of his artificial origin, Kimura claims to have identified marks on stones and rocks that seem to have been carved in the form of animals. “An example that I described as an underwater sphinx resembles a Chinese king or the old Okinawa,” he told National Geographic in 2007. For Kimura, the evidence is two: on the one hand, marks that could indicate extraction work and carved figures; on the other, the intense seismic activity of the region. To the Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun, he recalls that in 1771 a tsunami with waves up to 40 meters devastated Yonaguni Island, causing about 12,000 deaths. According to Kimura, it would not be unthinkable that a similar event had flooded an entire city. His theory has the support of other experts, such as Toru Ouchi, an associate professor of seismology at the University of Kobe, who personally dived at the scene. “What Professor Kimura says is nothing exaggerated. It’s easy to see that those relics were not caused by earthquakes,” he argues. Also read as the ‘Gold of Blood’ is feeding conflicts in Horse Tumble Africa and soldier bleeding the scene in parade on Bastille Day in France; Reliable ally video the target of ultimatum: As Trump changed his mind about Putin in six months geological evidence: natural formations at sea Professor Masaaki Kimura identified what would be sculpted figures that support his hypothesis that the stone was carved by humans public Domain via DW, however, the thesis is not unanimous. Robert Schoch, professor at the University of Boston and Geologist, is at the opposite end of the debate. After his first dive at the site, he argued that the formation is not artificial. “It’s not as regular as many claim, and straight angles and symmetry are not confirmed at various points.” According to Schoch, the formations would be the result of natural geological processes. “It is basic geology and classic sandstone stratigraphy, which tends to break through plans, creating these very straight edges, especially in an area with many flaws and tectonic activity,” he told National Geographic. In an article for the German newspaper Spiegel Online, professional geologist and diver Wolf Wichmann agreed with this view after analyzing the site several times, pointing out that the walls of the rock blocks repeat natural erosion patterns. “The surfaces and walls follow along the predetermined weak zones of the rock: the joints of the sedimentary rock layers and the network of fractures that runs perpendicular to them,” he wrote. Wichmann explains that phenomena such as “ripple channels, holes excavated by water force, hardened crusts, as well as holes made by sea hedgehogs and shells” are clearly identifiable as natural formations. One of the strongest arguments against the theory of lost civilization involves chronology. As IFL Science highlights, if the monument were artificial, it would have been built before it was submerged, that is, over 12,000 years ago. This would put him before any other known sophisticated civilization, including prior to Göbekli Tepe, the oldest monumental temple ever discovered, which would challenge the current understanding of the emergence of complex human societies. In addition, current scientific consensus points out that major monumental constructions emerged only after the development of agriculture (about 12,000 years ago), which allowed food surpluses, centralized power structures and work specialization. If it was proven that Yonaguni is artificial, “it would be necessary to completely rewrite the story,” as a report from the Indian channel NDTV. What do the evidence indicate? Videos on high in G1 despite narrow runners, arc entrances and 90 -degree angles apparently parallels found submerged in Yonaguni, there is not enough evidence to indicate that rocks have been carved by humans. Some advocates who suggest the opposite go beyond, and argue that the formation refers to the legendary lost continent of lemuria (also known as the Pacific -like MU continent). But there is no scientific evidence that Lemuria has indeed existed. The hypothesis that emerged in the 19th century tried to explain the distribution patterns of species between continents in a period prior to the scientific understanding of the tectonic plates movement. According to Japanese geoscientist Takayuki Ogata, also from the University of Ryukyu, it seems that it is a natural formation, especially considering the surrounding rock formations, as well as the fact that the structure is linked to a larger rock mass, suggesting that the well -defined layers gradually graduated due to their location in an area prone to earthquakes. In addition to the debate, what is certain is that the Yonaguni monument has become a popular destination for adventurous divers, although it is not free of risk due to the strong currents of the region. In addition to its archaeological and geological interest, the place houses a rich biodiversity, including hammer sharks. Videos: More Assisted from G1

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