Deep-sea researchers have found a mysterious yellow brick path on the ocean floor of the Pacific Ocean, with many drawing parallels to the pathway of the ancient lost city of Atlantis.
Live footage of the deep-sea expedition was released online last month by the crew of Exploration Vessel Nautilus which caught the sight of the strange-looking formation.
The footage showed a strange-looking formation resembling a road paved in cobblestones.
The researchers who viewed the live dive footage described it as a “yellow brick road” and “the road to Atlantis,” and also called it bizarre, cool and crazy.
The incredible rock formation was found in the Liliʻuokalani Ridge in the Papahānaumokuakea Marine National Monument (PMNM) in the Pacific Ocean, near Hawaii.
PMNM is the largest contiguous fully protected conservation areas in the world.
According to reports, the PMNM areas encompasses 582,578 square miles of the Pacific Ocean, an area larger than all of the US’ national parks combined.
So far, the researchers have only explored about three per cent of its seafloor.
“It’s the road to Atlantis,” a researcher on the radio can be heard saying, according to the Daily Mail.
“The yellow brick road?” another added jokingly, while a separate member team member called it “bizarre” and “crazy”.
The team said that the ‘yellow brick road’ is actually an example of ancient active volcanic geology
In a statement, the exploration team said, “Our Corps of Exploration have witnessed incredibly unique and fascinating geological formations while diving on the Liliʻuokalani Ridge within the Papahānaumokuakea Marine National Monument.”
The unique 90-degree fractures are likely related to heating and cooling stress from multiple eruptions at this baked margin.
‘Throughout the seamount chain, the team also sampled basalts coated with ferromanganese (iron-manganese) crusts from across different depths and oxygen saturations as well as an interesting-looking pumice rock that almost resembled a sponge.’
The exploration vessel is operated by the non-profit Ocean Exploration Trust, which livestreams what its remote-operated diving vehicles see in the deep.
(With inputs from agencies)
