The ancient Greek philosopher Plato wrote about a famous civilization called Atlantis which was once submerged deep into the ocean by the gods as punishment for the sins of pride and arrogance. Most experts consider Atlantis to just be a legend, but some legends and myths do turn out to be factual. And now some scientists have uncovered a large submerged mountain north of the Canary Islands, Spain, which just might be linked to such a civilization.
The mountain, called Mount Los Atlantes, contains three inactive volcanoes, each about 30 miles in diameter with their bases over 1 mile below the surface of the ocean. Some of the islands formerly existing there still have intact beaches. Dr. Luis Somoza of Spain’s Geological and Mining Institute (CSIC) said there was once a system of islands there that “could be the origin of the Atlantis legend.”
“They were islands in the past and they have sunk, they are still sinking, as the legend of Atlantis tells,” Somoza added. “Some of us have been able to verify that they still maintain their beaches.”
The team of geologists aboard an oceanographic vessel used a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to survey the waters down to a depth of about 2.5 km or 1.5 miles in order to better understand the area’s volcanic activity. They wanted more information on the condition of the seabed around the archipelago to see if there were any signs of underwater volcanic activity and magma that could pose risks for Spain’s future. Some of the underwater volcanoes could be more recent than previously thought.
The researchers studied minerals and volcanic rocks in order to get some idea when the islands began to sink. They also studied the vast life existing on the seabed to get some idea as to how underwater life is reborn after eruptions.
Comment: According to an article in Wikipedia, Plato described Atlantis as a naval power that conquered most of Europe and Libya before losing divine favor and being submerged in the ocean. “Plato intended the Atlantis story to bear witness to the superiority of his concept of a state.”
Although Atlantis didn’t play any kind of a major role in Plato’s writings, this legendary civilization has become much more famous in later centuries. The works of several Renaissance writers, such as Francis Bacon's New Atlantis and Thomas More's Utopia, focused on the allegorical view of Atlantis. But, in the 19th century, some writers wrote of Atlantis as historical tradition, which gave rise to pseudoscientific speculation concerning this lost civilization.
What should Bible-believing Christians think about Atlantis? One view was provided by Mike Matthews on the Answers website in an article titled “Civilizations Lost to the Sea.” Mike Matthews says, “[Atlantis] sounds fictional, yet archaeologists regularly find real civilizations whose existence was previously unknown and whose origins are a mystery.”
Matthews discusses Bouldnor Cliff, England, the Stone Monolith in the Sicilian Strait, a Neolithic village off Israel’s coast. and an ancient building under the Black Sea as other examples of underwater signs of civilizations.
How could these ancient civilizations have become submerged? Matthews says that coastlines can change due to sediments giving way, earthquakes, erosion and deposition, storms, and changes in water levels. Of course, since we know there were intelligent civilizations before Noah, we can’t forget the cataclysmic effects of the global flood on societies existing before that deluge.
Whether real or fictional, Atlantis can remind us that scores of people drowned in Noah’s flood due to their unbelief and rebellion against God. St. Peter writes, “Through these waters the former world perished, when it was flooded with water. And now, by that same word, the heavens and earth have been stored up for fire, since they are being kept until the day of judgment and the destruction of the ungodly” 2 Peter 3:6-7.
Thank God that we as believers in Jesus Christ, who has saved us from sin, floods, and fire, can escape even the smallest flame on the Last Day when Jesus takes us with Him to our eternal heavenly home.
by Warren Krug
Reference: Luke Matthews, “The lost island of Atlantis may have been found 2km under the ocean,” Metro/msn [September 19, 2025]. (“Free to share and use” artist’s conception of Atlantis, from Microsoft Bing.)
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QUESTION OF THE DAY
What is phototropism?
Phototropism refers to the amazing ability of sunflowers to follow the sun during the day. But, once they are ready to pollinate, the flowers remain facing east in order to quickly warm up to increase pollination.
Source: Science and Creation, Answers [July-September, 2025], page 15.
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