This is the case for the lost island of Atlantis, which was previously believed to have been lost forever. It lies west of the Strait of Gibraltar and was created by Plato, with tales of the Gods plunging the island into the deep sea to punish its citizens. But what actually happened to it?

It also has three inactive volcanos, each around 30 miles in diameter, with bases over a mile under the ocean’s surface. Although they have been underwater for thousands of years, some of the beaches are still fully intact.

The volcanos used to be part of a system of islands on the east coast of Lanzarote during the Eocene era, roughly 56 million years ago, and are believed to be the origin of the legend of Atlantis.

It is believed to have been “Plato’s notion of the ideal state,” according to Jyl Gentzler, a professor of philosophy at Amherst College. Plato believed the island should be “small and virtuous and reject ostentation.”

Before being potentially discovered, Atlantis has been mentioned throughout history. Ignatius Donnelly, a former U.S. Congressman, gave 13 hypotheses in 1882 on the idea of Atlantis existing, claiming it to be a source of many ancient civilizations.

They used the Sarmiento de Gamboa, a CSIC oceanographic vessel, and an advanced remotely operated vehicle (ROV), where they searched around 1.5 miles below sea level.

Due to this, they have named their discovery “Los Atlantes.” It is unknown how Plato would have known about the island, but it seems to bring us one step closer to discovering whether it was fact or fiction. 

It even used robotic arms and sensors to analyze C02 and methane gases, as well as any others that may be down there. This enabled the researchers to see what the environmental conditions are like at that depth.

However, the researchers believe that it was the volcanos that caused this island to sink. As they are dormant, it means they stopped erupting. This can cause the lava to solidify and become denser, making it too heavy to keep the land above water. 

There is also no proof of any human interaction with the island from the ancient period. While the researchers strongly believe this is the lost island of Atlantis, they don’t have solid evidence.

However, the team plans on returning to the island in 2025 to examine it in more detail. They would like to gather more information in hopes of determining whether this is the lost island of Atlantis or not. 

Regarding historical events, they believe Plato could have been inspired by the Minoan volcanic eruption in 1,600 BCE, the Sea Peoples invasion in 1,200 BCE or the Trojan War. Regardless of whether it is real or not, the island off the coast of Spain is still an interesting discovery.