Can't really tell by that 'smudge' if that is landing-gear, and after over eighty years the rest of the fuselage must have been blown God knows how far away from the island, but good luck in the quest.
38
not again. still. very recently a photograph “surfaced “ of a pier on some atoll/tiny island in the far reaches of pacific during japanese occupation. enhanced, it purported to show earhart’s plane. then it didn’t. enough already. ballard is as big a promoter as george p putnam.
11
So we have visible landing gear in the surf from October for a plane lost in June?
Okay.
15
"The Bevington Object, as it became known, was less than one millimeter long..." Shouldn't this read "less than one METER long"?
It certainly looks longer than a millimeter in the photograph. :)
45
“I feel like Leakey handing it off to Jane Goodall" - probably not an accurate metaphor:
Goodall is best known for her over 55-year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees; Leakey was a Kenyan paleo-anthropologist and archaeologist whose work was important in demonstrating that humans evolved in Africa, particularly through discoveries made at Olduvai Gorge with his wife, fellow paleontologist Mary Leakey.
46
Wow. Bob Ballard to the rescue. TIGHAR has been diligently working for over three decades to compile enough evidence for the NY Times to finally give the project the time of day, and Dr. Ballard is somehow the star. Swooping in to take credit, armed with all the findings TIGHAR uncovered.
The name of The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery isn't even mentioned until almost halfway through the article, and we don't know that Ric Gillespie founded and led the organization until much later.
The Times even states that it was Mr. Gillespie who reached out to the person who offered Dr. Ballard a key piece of evidence for the TIGHAR hypothesis that Earhart and Noonan landed on Nikumaroro when they got lost, which in turn prompted Dr. Ballard to take the trip 7 years later.
Clearly TIGHAR not only didn't have the funding or capabilities of Dr. Ballad and his team, they also didn't have the star power the Times was obviously pandering to in this article.
46
Enuf w the cutsie details of who will take over research from BALLARD! Either the camera equipment will penetrate the ocean to uncover the mystery or NOT! Do it and Then give us the full picture pleasssse!?
9
Speaking as one who is blessed with including Earhart as an ancestor, I vote that we leave her legendary life precisely as just that- a marvelous existence, brought to an end in a proverbial blaze of glory. There is no need to dissect her passing.
59
Phenomenal investigative work. The image processing seems to put a pretty good lock on the idea. Great work!
11
I see the TV ads already.. "National Geographic, United Airlines and AT&T present: The Search for Earhart" .. We'll be back after these messages..
42
As the video documentarian for TIGHAR over the past 18 years, I would suggest to the writer of this article to check with “primary sources” . Yes, maybe you ring up TIGHAR and have a chat. In 2012 Dr. Robert Ballard was a supporting cast member to the TIGHAR expedition that year, brought on by the State Dept and Kurt Campbell to validate the work that TIGHAR had done leading up to that time.
The Bevington photo and indeed an interview with Mr Bevington discussing his trip to Nikumaroro prior to when he passed away reside in the TIGHAR archive.
TIGHAR has not been “heavily involved “ in searching for Earhart on Niku, they have been the only group doing that work. TIGHAR has developed all the evidence up to this point for the Niku hypothesis and this is what Dr. Ballard’s current expedition rests on.
Ballard wouldn’t be in a remote part of the Pacific right now searching underwater for Earhart’s plane debris if he wasn’t convinced by the 30 years of work TIGHAR has slogged through to get to this place where Dr Ballard step.
156
Prefer the mystery, best imagined in Jane Mendolsohn’s novella, “I Was Amelia Earhart” cheers to love!
10
Bob Ballard is a world-class finder of lost things ... but in every historical mystery, there's a point where the granularity (of a photo or other things) is bigger, fuzzier, and more indefinite than our answer-seeking minds can accept. I've spent most of my own 25-year career searching for signs of the lost 1845 Arctic expedition of Sir John Franklin, which -- despite having found his ships -- is still imperfectly understood. It's entirely possible that the Earhart mystery will never be solved -- but of course that doesn't mean we'll stop looking.
32
I agree with Andy from Salt Lake City. Leave the mystery surrounding her disappearance alone. If we solve the puzzle, then the puzzle isn't any fun anymore. I'd much prefer to dream, wonder and have fun.
6
@Nathaniel is ignorance bliss then?
18
Public libraries in the early 1960s classified children's books by gender (at least in Washington, DC). Probably every girl who visited the non-fiction section knew about Amelia Earhart, and not just because there weren't many women book subjects.
With even fewer role models 30 years before that, Earhart had entranced many of our mothers. If my mom ever needed company at one of the many events and gatherings inflicted on diverse parents of big boomer families, she'd start talking about Amelia Earhart. Several other mothers would always join the conversation.
43
Earhart wrote & published an illustrated children’s book about little animated airplanes with cute faces that have adventures. I can’t remember the title, but the copy I saw was also autographed by her. I found the book in a box of abandoned books at the dump on Shelter Island, NY, around 1997. The dump boss asked to see it, I handed it to him, then he turned and walked away with it, saying he’d give it to his kid. I begged him not to do that, and even offered to buy it from him, but he refused. If anyone knows of a copy of this book, I’d love to know about it.
21
@EE - perhaps that’s The Story of Deadstick, The Airport Kitten. The foreword of that book is by Amelia Earhart.
7
This is a cool exercise in forensic archaeology. However, I'd almost rather not know. I don'see how finding Earhart's plane brings any useful closure to an otherwise romantic and tragic story. What does finding Earhart really accomplish?
The Titanic, the Lusitantia, and the Bismark all added to our understanding of complex social and geopolitical considerations. I'm not sure I understand the purpose behind discovering a lone lost adventurer. I think Amelia Earhart is fine as a mystery. She's inspirational in the unknown. For all I know, she's flying still. There's something valuable in that dream.
33
Why does it matter where her plane went down 80 years ago? Why should anyone care if it's recovered? Why waste further resources on this meaningless venture? Spend time doing something constructive for the living.
Earhart's dead, not sitting on Gilligan's Island with the professor and Mary Ann waiting to be rescued.
23
@Laurence Bachmann Ever think that understanding more about the disappearance might actually improve our understanding of what went wrong and contribute to safer flight in the region? Hers was not the only plane to go down in that area - it has a reputation for being a troublesome place, yet we still don't fully understand why. The only thing that is meaningless is why you left a comment at all given that you have zero interest in the subject.
47
@Laurence Bachmann If the money is indeed being 'wasted' it is, after all, their own money.
19
I'm not sure of the details, but I believe that the Navy's report at the time stated that the varying strength pattern of radio signals was consistent with the plane approaching Howland Is. Gardner Is. is hundreds of km away. It is also odd that an experienced navigator would have been so far off course. I can't see how a digitally "enhanced" smudge can be given creedence over these observations. Plus, as other commenters have noted, the actual object would have appeared much more prominent to an observer than it does in a photo taken with a more or less normal focal length, especially if the object was man made and the observer a Naval officer.
We should perhaps keep in mind that Ballard, despite his accomplishments, is a relentless self promoter, and that National Geographic is only interested in selling entertainment.
26
Noonan may have been an experienced navigator, but he was also an alcoholic. Also, weather / wind info wasn’t that precise at the time.
20
@Ajax. Her navigator was not considered very good and had a drinking problem. She was not as experienced a pilot as she should have been. If they can pay for this by putting it on tv then great.
21
Earhart's Lockheed Electra was a beautiful airplane, very advanced for its time with its two radial engines. It seems odd that it had only two blades on each propeller -- three or four blades would have given it more power, like the Lockheed P-47 that was one of the best fighter planes of World war II.
13
@Bearded One It must have been designed/engineered that way for a reason. Do more blades 'give it more power', or create more strain on the engine? I would think that only more displacement or enhancements like turbo chargers could create more power.
8
@Bearded One Couldn't agree more. More blades = more drag and lower fuel efficiency. They were trying to optimize for range rather than power at the time. P-47 was awesome but guzzled gas far worse than a '73 Olds.
18
Everyone should go to google maps and look for the plane!!!
20
@Null
I would but I’m still fixated on Atlantis!
22
As a proud Purdue University graduate I’d like to point out that the plane was purchased for Ms. Earhart by the Purdue Research Foundation. She was in residence on the campus for several years before her last flight and advised many female students to pursue careers in science and technology!
74
@Kendra Tutsch
That’s commendable, as is Dr. Ballard’s having a crew comprised of more than 50% women. Is that a first?
If yes, I’d love to learn all about a second.
14
Maybe they'll find Judge Crater down there too.
You gotta be old enough...
14
Or Jimmy Hoffa.
14
Or Elvis
11
Perhaps Dr Ballard could use all his know how and state of art equipment to find my lost innocence?
30
@Lord Snooty
It would be more worthwhile. At least you're alive to appreciate the recovery.
8
As a former Navy Aviator, during the Vietnam War, I flew many patrol, reconnaissance, and interdiction missions over the numerous atolls in the South China Sea. If we had to ditch near one of these atolls, if enough open water were to be available, we were definitely going to go down in an interior lagoon -- and not in the chop and reef surge on the exterior of the atoll. Given the absolute vagueness of the so called "main gear" in the photo and the absurdity of an open ocean ditch when the lagoon beckons, this search will be a total waste of time -- guaranteed!
32
@Jeff Given they were at the point of zero fuel, the engines may have sputtered out before they could get to the protected lagoon. Or they overshot it on the first pass and didn't have fuel for a go around. I wouldn't discount anything without checking throughly.
28
If you open the the photo from the Tighar link, it's much clearer. There's what appears to be more debris right in the centre, a barrel shaped object end on & a longer shape pointing towards the island!
13
Who cares? Does it really matter and wouldn't all that money be better spent on something like cancer research?
14
The expedition is employing people who will make money to support their families and pay taxes, etc., and they can donate to charity if they wish. Do they tell you how to spend your money?
57
@Mike F. I suppose in the same the money you spend on non-essentials would be better spent on cancer research. Why not set an example for others to follow?
35
@Mike F.
You're reading my mind. This has got to be the dumbest waste of time and money since pet rocks.
1
I think if you overlay that smudge in the photo with the 1934 "surgeon's photo" taken in Loch Ness you'll see a remarkable congruity.
34
There's a part of me that's delighted at the prospect of discovering answers long thought lost. But another part is tugged in the direction of "leave the mystery be."
11
The island does seem to be shaped like a landing strip for smaller planes.
As an old cartoon quote goes, "it’s possible, Deputy!"
4
"Mr. Gillespie fears what’s left of the Electra might be no more than scattered debris. Still, Dr. Ballard’s technology gives him hope. Even those who doubt the Nikumaroro hypothesis think Dr. Ballard’s high-tech search at least may prove Earhart was never there."
We can't prove a negative -- i.e., "was never there."
Sorry
10
I believe it when I see it. I have written on the Pan American Clippers the Golden Age of Flying Boats and Dr. Ballard has just finished searching for the Samoan Clipper which disappeared and came up empty. Also the Hawaiian Clipper disappeared and was carrying at least a million in money to the Chinese rebels. Those are stories I would like solved. TIGAR as someone said they are stuck on this theory and like anyone stuck on a theory they keep on and even if it is proven not to be it will continue on. People or organizations that have a certain theory never give them up. Every few years to receive funding a new piece of glass is found on the island or something a shoe etc. I did love the one in 2017 which had the photo and the completed show until someone pointed out the photo was taken two years earlier. Me I believe from my limited knowledge she hit the Pacific when the fuel was gone either short of Howland or overshot. It should be noted that when she started the first flight she went the opposite direction and had two navigators. After crashing the plane in Hawaii she then flew a second time in the opposite direction. One navigator and Noonan was the navigator on the first Pan Am China Clipper flight and won't go into details why he left Pan Am or they let him go. The plane was damaged and there were other concerns on that last leg. If they find it the mystery of the mail bags she was carrying maybe solved worth millions. Jim Trautman
15
Am reminded of the art house film "Blowup." Direct by Michelangelo Antonioni. Released in 1966. Still one of my most favorite films ever.
Also find this fascinating because Amelia Earhart is a very distant cousin. My dad was a great fan of Earhart. Wish that he and I had been aware of our Earhart connection before he died. He would have been so pleased to know that they were related.
22
Also missing is Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author of Le Petit Prince and Vol de Nuit, whose plane went down either in the Alps or in the Mediterranean in 1944. Someone should look for him as well, since he died on a reconnaissance mission for the Allies in World War II.
37
@wobbly and let's not forget Gerhard Finkenbeiner. a scientific glass blower and maker of the modern version of the glass harmonica. took off from Norwood airport in early may of 1999 and disappeared.
15
I believe I saw a French news cast a couple of years ago where a French fisherman near Marseille got Saint Exupérys bracelet (monogrammed )caught in his fishing net
16
@wobbly
Actually, the ID bracelet and aircraft of Saint-Exupery have been found!
https://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/07/world/plane-wreck-of-the-author-of-prince-is-discovered.html
27
I’ve always been skeptical of Gillespie and Tighar’s Earhart search on Nikumaroro, but if Robert Ballard thinks enough of it to actually mount an expedition...
12
What a role model was Ms. Earhart for today's young girls considering science, technology, engineering and mathematics....STEM we call it, and more girls are needed to fill the ranks.
A STEM career, and there are many options, can take you into the wild, blue yonder.
16
@Lake. woebegonerSorry she was not a great aviator and only through the years with the mystery has more of a myth developed. She crashed the Electra the first time in Hawaii. It had to be sent back to Burbank for repairs. Then against advice she left in the opposite direction and with only Fred Noonan that was a mistake. She would not allow Pan American staff to teach her morse code or other safety measures on the aircraft like a trailing aerial. She was being marketed by her husband Putnam there was a clothing line., he had sold signed first day covers through the Gimbels Dept store $5 signed - $3 unsigned. At each stop she took them to the local post office for a stamp and so there was this weight on the aircraft. It is not known if the mailbags were with the aircraft - since the last stamp was added in Pakistan. Or whether since the aircraft had damaged and weight concerns they were put off in Australia or New Guinea. It was recommended that she repair the aircraft and reschedule, but she was on a tight schedule and Putnam had sold lots of things connected to the flight. It was a disaster waiting to happen. The better role model would be Ann Morrow - Charles Lindbergh wife who was his radio operator/navigator and co pilot for his flights in 1931 and 33. Jim Trautman
40
@trautman - Well said, sir! She was reckless but either full of bravada or a long luck that ran out.
Right you are about Mrs. Lindberg. She was also a fine writer and her husband was an obstinate hero who put himself and his financial supporters at great risk, trusting he could stay awake the length of the flight. His warnings about Goering should have been heeded.
"Ah, that our reach should exceed our grasp, or what's a heaven for?" - Browning
20
I wouldn’t be so harsh, especially since it cost her her life, but the rush to complete was a terrible, possibly fatal, error.
5
honestly, while i am a big amelia fan, it seems like this same basic story about "new clues" runs every two years or so. of course i read it but as usual it contains nothing new.
10
Earhart radioed that they were flying North-South in search of their landing site. Instead of searching along a North-South line, the Navy searched in an ellipse, which excluded Nikumaroro. Perhaps if the searchers had respected Earhart as a pilot and not thought of her as 'only' a woman, they would have found her. I believe sexism is why they did not.
18
I get the thrill of the hunt and the craving to put clues together, but why does the location of Amelia Earhardt's crash matter at this point in history? It doesn't contribute to any larger understanding of aviation, science, history, politics. It's a minor curiosity. Not an important lost thing. Amelia Earhardt deserves admiration and respect as a pioneering aviator. She has that. There are so many more desperately important things to find, such as the political courage, entrepreneurial nerve, and science to stop eradicating the species we depend on.
22
@Julia Lichtblau - You start working on those important things you’ve listed.
9
I think the greatest aviation mystery of all-time is Malaysian Airlines 370. It's incredible that a modern airliner could just disappear and not be found. But I guess it is a big ocean.
51
@Michael B.
The best summary of what's know is here:
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/07/mh370-malaysia-airlines/590653/
8
@Michael B.
Not big enough to remain healthy.
1
A "lengthy" search that lasted from July 2, 1937 to July 18, 1937, all of 16 days?
22
Do it for Joni.
14
I love it. In my seven decades, Amelia Earhart comes around every few years -- like Halley's Comet -- with a new clue or some tantalizing revelation. The media always rises to the occasion.
I understand we ought to know what happened, but I would hate to see her story end.
20
on the signs of recent habitation issue:
"In November 1929, Norwich City carrying a crew of 35 men left Melbourne bound for Vancouver via Honolulu. During a storm on 29 November 1929, the unladen freighter ran aground in darkness on the reef at the northwest end of the small central Pacific atoll known as Nikumaroro Island (then known as Gardner Island). A fire broke out in the engine room and all hands abandoned ship in darkness having to make their way across the wide and dangerous coral reef being pounded by dangerous storm waves. In total, 11 men lost their lives. The survivors camped near collapsed structures from a late-19th century coconut-planting project and were rescued after several days on the island."
24
Glad to see there are a lot of skeptical comments here – TIGHAR seems to gin up “new evidence” every couple of years to generate interest and fund their expeditions. Regarding the image analysis, it’s not rigorous from a scientific point of view and seems to be reversed engineered (i.e., starting with a premise, then generating imagery to support that premise) to make the results look a lot more conclusive than they are.
Dorthy Cochrane of the National Air and Space Museum, quoted in this NY Times article and the linked 2017 article, seems to have a much more grounded and plausible explanation that doesn’t rely on conjecture. The preponderance of evidence and historical documentation supports the conclusion that Earhart’s plane crashed near Howland Island.
11
while ballard's technology will certainly help, this has been TIGHAR's gig for a long time, and if evidence of earhart's and noonan's plane is found, their role should not be obscured.
5
The Nikumaroro theory has been kicking around for decades. It wrests on the idea that Fred Noonan, one of the best aviation navigators of this era, would have been so far off course as to wind up there.
I hope if nothing else this expedition helps restore Noonan's reputation. He is either mentioned as an afterthought, (...and her navigator, Fred Noonan) or besmirched as a drunkard or a rake.
In fact, Noonan was a navigation instructor at Pan Am, when Pan Am represented the best in aviation, and hired only the best. He navigated the inaugural round trip of the China Clipper. It's often said that Earhart chose him almost casually, because she heard about a guy in LA. No, both she and her husband had respect for Noonan and knew his reputation.
Were they lovers? Maybe -- who cares. She was in an open marriage and he was on his third. What we know is what Noonan had accomplished in aviation. Earhart originally wanted Harry Manning as navigator. Both he and Noonan were expert navigators, but frankly Noonan had accomplished more in the air. He was no cheap second choice, and she had way too much on the line to rely on a guy she simply had the hots for.
Maybe now we'll at least eliminate one theory. While it's possible they were so far off course, it's more likely they simply ran out of fuel short of Howland I.
26
@DuncanAll I will say is that yes, Noonan was a good navigator, but Fred had a drinking problem. When I wrote my book on the Pan Am Clippers my late wife and I searched the official papers on Pan Am at the Univ. of Miami and were asked to search for if he was fired or quit. Found nothing, but how to put it nicely he drank a good deal and someone was assigned to keep an eye on him before a flight the next day. He as I understand it on his wedding day had a crash on a freeway in Calif. Pacific Coast Highway. I believe plane damaged, over weight, problems with the radio communications, both fatigued and tired schedule to keep all these factors were a disaster waiting to happen. I will see but have always believed they either came up short or over shot Howland. Jim Trautman
12
In a modern world in which so much seems to conform to our expectations, a part of me wishes that the subject of Amelia Earhart's disappearance would endure as an enigma, if for no other reason than it perpetuates the notion that the world remains wondrous enough that people can still set off on a journey and become irretrievably lost.
25
@cjboffoli there's still MH370...
5
Earhart's story has always intrigued me. But I can't help but be skeptical: the theorists and the searchers want to find evidence so badly that they're seeing things in photos that they want to see. I'll be truly stunned if they find anything.
The best contemporary thing that's come out of the Earhart legend is Joni Mitchell's allegorical imagery in her song "Amelia"; reflecting a kindred spirit. Earhart would love it, too.
21
Although I've always found Amelia Earhart's story fascinating, I wish Ballard would search for MH370.
51
Even for an Electra the landing gear would weigh enough to remain in the shallow water even through strong storms. Why hasn't anyone found it? If they crashed in the water gear up then the wing should also be close by. If they tried to land on the beach with gear down and the gear was ripped off then other parts of the aircraft would be close unless they were salvaged by locals from Kiribati. Seems all a bit made for TV to me.
10
@Scrumper
Also, curious about when the shipwreck happened. Presumably pre-Erhart disappeared. Might the survivors account for the signs of "recent habitation?"
3
@pedro. Yes and yes. The freighter was several years before, and unless the crew were immediately rescued, they would have left stuff all over. Even the scouting party at the time of that photo. Also, the freighter has been adding debris there, maybe enough to make finding the plane even more difficult. Magnetometer in a junkyard! However, this is exploration, and likely to provide new and useful information for other projects even if a null result.
4
@Scrumper yeah, and Bevington was there just 3 months later and saw nothing of the plane. I think this photo object is a bit of a Rohrshack blot.
6
I think it is likely that she would be pleased never to be found and have her remains returned to a country where Donald Trump is President and would tweet about her.
43
this is awesome. the mystery of amelia earhart haunted my childhood. i really hope they are on to something.
12
And Fred Noonan. Don’t forget poor Fred.
12
The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery must have the world's best PR agency, because every year without fail they manage to get into the news about the latest "big breakthrough" related to Amelia Earhart.
I'm glad that there is an organization like theirs, devoted to historic aircraft research and preservation, but - call me cynical - I feel like the Earhart project has turned into just a headline grabber to get more donations for the organization as a whole.
Probably, the worst thing for their organization's financial health would be if they actually found the plane.
22
Ballard's search for the Titanic was initially a Navy ruse to instead look for two American nuclear subs that sank in the 1960s, the Scorpion and Thresher.
15
@James Devlin This is absolutely true – I have a close relative (since deceased) who was a lead scientist on the Navy mission that found the Titanic. I can’t remember which sub they were looking for, or if he even mentioned the name, but he told me the Navy essentially told Ballard “look here.” Which really isn’t all that different from this situation.
6
@James Devlin
Actually, it wasn't a ruse, it is true that Ballard's expedition was funded in part by the navy and that before looking for Titanic, he found the Thresher (which went down in the early 1960's), to investigate what happened and also to check on the nuclear reactor. The Scorpion went down later, and was in the Caribbean, so the Titanic exploration wouldn't be a cover for that.
7
@James Devlin
The scorpion and the thresher, neither of which sunk anywhere near where the titanic sank.
Scorpion was found 400 nmi (740 km) southwest of the Azores, 32°54.9′N 33°08.89′W in the North Atlantic Ocean at a depth of 3,000 m (9,800 ft).
Thresher sank during deep-diving tests about 220 miles (350 km) east of Boston, Massachusetts.
Titanic sank approximately 400 nautical miles (740 km) from Newfoundland, Canada, which is located between the two wrecks.
5
The story doesn't mention this, but TIGHAR has found objects on the island/atoll that can be dated from Amelia's era - a woman's makeup compact, a sextant of the kind that her navigator Fred Noonan would have been using. Also many people heard radio signals in the days after they disappeared that sounded like Amelia and Fred, with messages consistent with landing somewhere in the Pacific.
18
@Deb It doesn't mention these because they don't exist.
5
@Imagine Oops .. so inaccurate ! Have a read on the TIGHAR pages ...
5
@dianne manttan Actually, the sextant was traced to the USS Bushnell, a US Navy surveying vessel that conducted a hydrographic survey of the island not long before the sextant was found.
3
Robert Ballard is great! Maybe next he can find Trumps tax returns!
149
@Charles Baran Best comment of the bunch!
13
Good luck, Bob Ballard, finding Amelia's Electra
--a needle in a haystack --on Gardner Island
in the Phoenix Isles of Kiribati.
My DNA awaits
discovery
on Nikumaroro atoll
Bits of the
Electra's
undercarriage and
My Cat's Paw size 6 heel
and smashed jar of Dr. Berry's
Freckle Ointment too.
I went
the way of all flesh
on 24 July 1937
My 40th birthday
no cake or candles
or balloons
But isn't it swell?
Isn't it neat?
The great news
Bob Ballard
will find me
this year?
17
I am a long time Amelia Earhart researcher. I am sure Dr. Ballard's heart is in the right place, but his search would be more productive if it was focused on Saipan in the Northern Marianas and at Mili Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
I will bet the barn they will find no evidence of Amelia or her Lockheed Electra Model 10E anywhere near Nikumaroro Island despite the tens of millions they are spending. Unfortunately, the myth that Amelia somehow ended up at Nikumaroro has been perpetuated and marketed for 25 years.
I find it amazing the press still doesn't recognize the statements of Admiral Chester Nimitz, Commander and Chief of the Pacific Fleet during World War II, Marine General's Graves B. Erskine and Alexander Vandegrift and a host of ex-Marines and Army personnel stationed at Saipan all who have said Amelia Earhart met her end at Saipan under Japanese custody.
58
@lgkinney
I have read various articles about Ms. Earhart surviving the crash and being "under Japanese custody". I even recall seeing a picture of a woman (from behind) alongside a group of Japanese men, who was Causation, a very similar build and hair cut, supposedly being that of Ms. Earhart.
Locating the plane is one thing. But what happened to her is paramount to me. I wish the National Geographic Society would fund that avenue - that's the topic which I find most intriguing and important.
Thanks for sharing that intel with the readers.
12
@lgkinney
I am dubious they will find Earhardt's plane on that Island, like you I suspect she was captured and executed by the Japanese on Saipan, and I would bet pretty good money that in some intelligence archive somewhere they have proof that that is what happened, where it was buried in the cold war world, in the need to rehabilitate the Japanese, if it came out they had executed Earhardt there would have been outrage, to say the least, there already was a massive coverup of Japan's role in atrocities that rivaled that of the Nazis, and to this day Japan internally still officially denies the activity of the Empire in the WWII era..so you aren't going to get anything from them, the Japanese are very adept at denying and covering up the past.
19
@Marge Keller Hi Marge, that photo was discredited almost as soon as it was offered up as "evidence". It was first published in 1935 in a Japanese travel book, two years before Earhart disappeared: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2017/07/amelia-earhart-lost-photograph-discredited-spd/
Regarding claims attributed to Nimitz and the other military officials regarding Earhart, I would be equally skeptical: they're equally as controversial and tossed around the internet by opposing camps without a lot of supporting evidence.
On a separate note, I always look forward to reading your thoughtful comments – thank you!
29
For a publication that prides itself on accuracy there is a strong omission. The Titanic was CO-discovered by the French engineer Jean-Louis Michel who was actually the first to see images of the Titanic. The expedition was a collaboration between the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and French Research Institute for Exploration of the Sea. The announcement of the discovery was supposed to be simultaneous in both France and the US but somehow it was announced first in the US and Ballard continues to be given nearly all of the recognition.
20
@Nathaniel
Information which I see Ballard continues to fail to correct. Telling.
8
It seems to me that this effort is two part effort:
* A crowning technological tour the force for Robert Ballard and his team before he hand control over to a new leader.
* A wonderful affirming first leadership achievement for Ms. Fundis locating the remains of pioneer avatar Earhart's Lockheed Model 10E Electra aircraft and perhaps those of Ms. Earhart and her partner themselves.
It is also uncanny that the US finds itself facing much the same geopolitical situation in the Pacific that it was facing 70 odd years ago when the aviatrix and her aircraft disappeared. The fact that Mr. Campbell came up with this particular technological tour de force at this time I suspect is hardly coincidental.
If the electra is located by the Navy because Ballard is pure US Navy (and that is a big if) it will go a long way to demonstrate that the Pacific ocean is still an American lake.
3
@Richard From Massachusetts Are these the same intelligence experts who, just a few years earlier, swore to us Saddam had WMD?
6
@Richard From Massachusetts
Oh really? And I suppose Butch Cassidy used just barely enough dynamite, too.
4
@Ron
These are the techies with the high prices advanced systems. They sure have something that looks a lot like a Lockheed Model 10E Electra landing gear. (look at the linked report).
But yes you are right the only time you ever get "Ground Truth" is when you put some "Boots on the Ground" (or in this case in the water).
We can all believe it's true when they match the serial number on that big rack gear on the Ms. Earhart's Electra's landing gear with the one they fish out of the Pacific Ocean.
3
What is truly great is to read an article about a fascinating subject that does not revolve around our current political nightmare. That we, as a people, love a good mystery is undisputed and the disappearance of Amelia Earhart is one of the 20th century's more enduring mysteries.
I'll be looking on Oct.20th to see what is discovered or not found. Whatever, I'm sure it will be better than the other "reality" shows on TV!
20
I find it interesting how one picture that was taken decades ago can lead a search party in the right direction. People have been searching for years looking for Earhart's plane. This one picture through a whole new possible theory into the mix.
2
@Marissa-check out TIGHAR’s website. It’s not just the photo. Among other points of interest on the site are notes written by a gurl in Florida who documented transmissions that sounded like they were coming from Earhart and a wounded Noonan. Something the hungover Navy partiers overlooked on their haggard and rapid search.
3
I propose Dr. Robert Ballard be called in on the investigation of Epstein's death, including the events which unfolded since his incarceration.
13
Finding Trump's tax returns and Russian money laundering would better serve the World.
28
@Jacquie Sure, but this guy has submersibles and imaging equipment for underwater exploration and so would not be of much use in the search you want done. I think your subtext is: "The NYT should be report on finding Trump's tax returns and Russian money-laundering instead of this 80-year old story."
Amelia has been a lifelong hero of mine and finding out what happened to her would be both wonderful and sad. I wish them the best of luck and hopefully we'll finally be able to rest knowing the truth.
10
Look at that photo of Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan holding a map of the Pacific and looking into each other's eyes.
Have you ever seen two people more in love ?
15
Amelia Earhart's radio reception antenna was apparently lost upon take-off from New Guinea, and thus she could not receive only transmit. If she and Fed Noonan did indeed successfully reach Nikumaruru, why did they not transmit as to in which direction they were headed or at least say they had given up searching for Howland Island? There was a message-received by some-transmitted that they had landed somewhere and were asking for rescue. Some people think that message is/was a hoax.
2
This photo looks like very wishful thinking and an excuse to keep the search going. What would it change if they did find it anyway?
5
@Mark
In the broader scope of things, won't change all that much, simply is closure on a mystery that has intrigued people for a long time. This is an example of searching for something for the sake of resolving a mystery (not to mention, of course, that Nat Geo would gain a lot of publicity, book authors can write books and make money other claiming that this was a great find, detailing how bad the food was on board the search ships, how Bob Ballard is a modern day recreation of Captain Bligh, etc *lol*..and other books will detail how the other books are full of it, that Aerhardt was spirited away by the UFO's supposedly seen in the area, that she ran away to an exotic atoll to be with Fred Noonan, etc.
2
How utterly intriguing and fantastic. I wish the world were a more peaceful place so we could focus stories like this one every day. Best of luck in the search (I'm holding my breath)!
13
@Kevin
Don't hold it too long or you won't be around to see the program on October 20! But yes, I'm with you, very excited by this and I will be glued to the tv.
The un-credited title photo sure looks like the work of Los Angeles photographer Albert Bresnik. Quite the character, Mr. Bresnik took many posed shots of Amelia Earhart and used to invite people over to his house on Sunset Boulevard near Pacific Palisades to screen old Hollywood classics on a projector in his living room and then offer a selection of his handpicked matted prints. He liked to say he matched the color of the mats for the black and white prints to Amelia's scarves and called himself "Amelia Earhart's personal photographer." I'm not sure he gets enough credit for taking many professional shots of her.
19
And his astronaut grandson who flew with the Shuttle, taking Amelia’s lucky scarf to the heavens! And of course, the lady brave enough to crawl out to pose on that nose. Icons on icons.
11
Very exciting! I would love to see this mystery solved. I will follow it with interest.
And thank you, Dr. Ballard, for promoting women, and believing in our capabilities.
28
@Annie
So that means that the poor dears NEED someone to promote them?
1
"They are confident the will find the Electra." Doesn't sound like a very scientific attitude before conducting the search.
2
@Malachy and Fenix Grange ok, it's a SWAG...
1
Search, don’t search. That’s your business, but how anyone could extrapolate justification for such a search from that smudge seems the height of wishful thinking.
2
@Allison
Click the kinky at that part of the story for an entire other (interesting) article on how they analyzed that smudge!
7
@Allison
Never underestimate the ability of the masterspies to digitally enhance smudged images.
2
The idea of her & him waiting and hoping and dying on some blip of land breaks my heart a la Castaway. Especially if she saw a ship, but it didn’t see her.
7
Yes, yes, he found the lost Titanic.
What Ballard was really looking for in 1985: the USS Thresher and the USS Scorpion, two American nuclear subs that sank in the 1960s. Reclaiming those subs' nuclear weapons before the USSR found them was a top priority for the US Navy.
The Titanic search was cover for Ballard's agreement with the US Navy to locate the subs without alerting the Russians.
13
Frustrating when they just re-print a press release for a "TV program" coming on October 20. And if Ballard were serious about "promoting women" he could easily have a full ship of women scientists. Not just "over half."
This will be an easy trip and an easy task for Ballard. This is about 500 miles north of Samoa. It will take a 15 hour flight to get to Fiji or Samoa on a direct flight from Los Angeles, then about a day and a half to get there on a dive boat. Not terribly difficult at all.
6
A lot of people in the comments miss the importance of pushing at the edge of human and machine abilities. Take the recently celebrated Moon landing, with its tremendous cost.
The flyers, and those control rooms full of quick thinking engineers provided the backbone for any later risky enterprises, in which America excels. They are the reason most of our spaceships can land on Mars and others don't.
As for safety, they helped put the US way above the rest, in common but especially in unusual situations.
At the Notre Dame of Paris fire, the fire safety company in charge of the cathedral sent the inspectors to another building altogether when the fire started...
In general, pushing the envelope at the edge, and I speak as an interested party, working at the edge of QFT and gravity understanding, pushing the edges must be encouraged and supported.
11
My question is why the original photographer didn't notice a crashed plane if he was that near to it. Maybe my perspective is off, but it seems like something a curious mind would do, particularly around an island where man made objects in the water wouldn't be expected.
6
@EM Maybe he didn't see it at the time, and saw this smudge later?
1
Maybe Eric Bevington saw the object sticking out of the water and, thinking it might be part of the shipwreck, made sure to include it in the picture.
6
The photo is intriguing but likely far from definitive evidence. If private funding is willing to support this, I'm ok with it - maybe they'll get lucky. If it hasn't been done already, it would also be worth a careful search of the island for human remains or relevant artifacts.
As far as MH370, there's no comparison to the failed search for that unfortunate aircraft. The potential search area is vast and remote, and the ocean depths make any search all the more daunting.
4
The Malaysian government already knows how/where/why MH370 crashed. They are covering it up. It is completely outlined in the Atlantic Magazine article: https://amp.theatlantic.com/amp/article/590653/
4
@David G
Thanks for the reference. It makes a strong case the corrupt and incompetent Malaysian government doesn't want to know how or where MH370 crashed. It also strongly suggests the pilot was clinically depressed, and it's known he carefully simulated a flight path similar to that flown by the doomed plane.
It doesn't say anyone in the government knows better where the plane hit water. That may never be known. It's also possible the crash into the ocean was so violent that the craft disintegrated, leaving no recognizable airplane to explore or recover, just bits and pieces.
6
@Michael Tyndall - there's a National Geographic article about forensic dogs being sent to look for her remains. So far nothing.
2
Earhart's disappearance, possible marooning, , showed the importance of have multiple radio transmitters and batteries stored well on board.
Almost a century later, the disappearance of the Air Malaysia flight shows the need to have every commercial flight send all its data and voice continuously, via satellites, to the cloud, at least until landing. The amount of data and cost, by today's standards, is trivial. It's just that we learn only after tragedies.
13
The Malaysian government already knows how/where/why MH370 crashed. They are covering it up. It is outlined completely in the Atlantic Magazine article: https://amp.theatlantic.com/amp/article/590653/
3
@David G you missed his point, it was about setting global standards for flight tracking.
3
The image is not very clear and there's no telling what happened to Earhart. Ballard has done some amazing things and at the least he will get useful mapping data, but I agree with some of the other commentators that the real lesson of the story is that Earhart was not adequately trained and prepared for this flight. Aviation is best remembered through people that accomplished remarkable flights through careful planning and precise execution. Anyone who is interested in early women of aviation should start with "West With the Sun" by Beryl Markham, superb flying and superb writing.
7
@Dan Woodard MD
Earhart could have been the most well trained pilot in the world at the time and still been lost.
4
@Dan Woodard MD "West With the Night" by Beryl Markham.
4
@PC
It's a beautiful book - highly recommend!
2
Wow! My father, Bradford Washburn, was asked by Amelia to be her navigator. He told her it was too dangerous and did not accept. He is no longer living but I know he would be fascinated by this. I heard about her flight and disappearance for many years.
86
"Breathless," is a movie starring the late Jean Seberg and Paul Belmondo, but it's a word that should not be applied to news stories in The Times, especially when the topic is a woman who died as the result of a publicity stunt. A sad story, but all the words written about its central character are fodder for the likes of supermarket tabloids, but not The Times.
1
I know there’s a useful point to this and all the money it costs, but who am I to ask? Suddenly all those whirligigs my dad used to make now make perfect sense.
2
@John Doe
I'm all in. This is wonderful. Surely Mr. Ballard, the Ocean Exploration Trust, and National Geographic are free to choose how to use their own funds? Earhart was a genuine American hero. Or don't you agree?
As for our own tax dollars, let's finally put them to work digging up Trump's tax returns!
20
@Robert
We know what they will show and I am afraid we have bigger issues for our valuable tax dollars.
Tax dollars must go towards repairing our nation's crumbling infrastructure, easing Americans lives struggling with medical expenses and then eliminating the totally senseless death by assault weapons used by shooters who have fallen between the cracks because they lacked proper care or attention to their problems.
And doing all these crucial things with our valuable tax dollars, we need our country to make sense again.
7
@Robert.
Arrrgh! You did it. You had to bring Trump into it. Is there no respite?
7
Zero in on the radial engine of that era and what it registers on the metal detecting equipment. Problem is how limited the area for detecting aluminum and steel might be. Sonar?
2
@Zeek
They find metal by detecting changes in the earth's magnetic field. Straightforward, done all the time now.
5
I always read stories about Amelia Earhart, have always been fascinated by her and her disappearance. So when I read this story, it reminded me of another story, now 2 years old, that has stayed in my mind. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/06/world/amelia-earhart-photo-japan.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article This story, from the Times of July 6, 2017, is as tantalizing as the current one, maybe even moreso, because the smudge in that photo purports to be not just a propeller but rather a photo the aviatrix herself along with her navigator. Was there ever a resolution to that story? Was it discredited or simply, like so many, unresolved?
5
@Brooke I have a vague memory that the photo was explained. Some ship background detail in the picture showed that the timing of the picture was earlier than, rather than after, the flight. Check.
5
@Brooke
That's the first thing that went through my mind as well. I don't think there was any resolution. Interesting that this article does not even bring up that picture from Bikini Atoll.
1
@Brookethere was resolution to the story of her in a photo, It was discreditted. Forensics concluded that the photo had been improperly dated.
5
Why not dive on the Lusitania everybody knows where it is.....
1
@Lucy He has, but it's very hazardous. The wreck is coated in snagged fishing nets, and in the mid-20th century the Irish and Royal Navies used the area to test explosives, and unexploded ordnance litters the area.
12
@Lucy
They not only know where the Lusitania is, they have dove on it with ROV's, it is off the coast of Ireland, within sight of land. Ballard and others have dived on it, and have learned a lot about what happened to it, that while it was definitely carrying arms, the likely cause was the Torpedo fired at it caused a rupture of a main steam line (the theory about the coal dust hasn't fully been discredited, just more evidence seems to point to the steam lines).
1
I am a bit surprised by the 'yeah it looks like Model 10-E Electra landing gear', looking at the blurry magnification on the linked page from Tighar. How many plane models would have similar looking gear? Still, wishing Ballard and Fundis the best of luck!
9
@Oldcontinenter
Didn't you see, they did intelligence analysis with 'secretive' technology? We should be finding her plane just about any time now. Hold your breathe.
1
How much money will be spent chasing ghosts?
3
@Connie
Good question. And so is: How much will be made?
3
@Leo And another question is who is paying for nostalgia?
@Connie
"The expedition is being funded by the National Geographic Society, which will record the progress of the Nautilus and its crew for an Oct. 20 television program."
I think the NGS is private so no taxpayer dollars.
4
If Robert Ballard is the finder of important lost things, and has found the Titanic, the Bismarck, and 18 shipwrecks in the Black Sea, I think a much more useful mission would be for him to search for Malaysia Flight 370. Resolving that would be infinitely more valuable than finding Amelia Earhart's airplane.
44
@Steve https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/07/mh370-malaysia-airlines/590653/
Fear not, progress is being made on that front.
5
@Steve, I think locating Trump's tax returns would serve society better.
325
@Socrates Funny how Trump somehow manages to make it into every single issue that happens today, no matter how unrelated. I'm sure he'd be thrilled.
6
I’ve always thought the aircraft was shot down by the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1937, thinking it was a reconnaissance plane. I’m a skeptic of the photo shown here and I hope Ballard and his team can investigate this one to completion.
9
In 2014 the Malaysian airliner MH370 vanished in the Pacific Ocean with nary a trace. Why would it be considered a mystery that a small plane in 1937, a mere 3 decades after the first powered-flight, could vanish in the Pacific Ocean during a high risk expedition? The fact that this could happen seems highly probably and hardly surprising.
Still, it would be neat if wreckage was found.
18
@David Those searching for that plane have always focused their efforts on the Indian Ocean. If you have information that should point them in the other direction, to the Pacific Ocean, you should contact them right away.
@codgertater
Sorry my mistake. Does not change my point though. It is completely unremarkable that a plane crossing the Pacific Ocean in 1937 could vanish without a trace.
3
There is much more circumstantial evidence, all posted by a group called TIGHAR (The International Group For Historic Aircraft Recovery https://tighar.org/) who use scientific methods and careful analysis. Go to their site and read their work, which Ballard relies on. That photo is the least of the evidence supporting the island landing.
14
@Nick Lappos Are you seriously suggesting that people should make the effort to acquaint themselves with the results of decades of TIGHAR's research, before spouting off the ignorant nonsense evident in some of the posts here?
What a radical idea!
10
@codgertater The reason that Ballard is going to Nikumaroro is because of the previous two decades of work Tighar has done. He is essentially saying, "Tighar has shown where the airplane ended up, and on the basis of their research, that's where I'm going to look for it."
3
@codgertater
Snark! I like that in a person.
I wish them luck. I hope it is not turned into a staged reality TV shows. Would be a great find. And maybe someone can also tell us where Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is hiding.
12
@wyatt There was a great article in the atlantic a month or so ago about flight 370.
2
@wyatt
Remember Geraldo Rivera opening up Al Capone's safe on live TV back in 1986? "Sorry folks, nothing to see here. Move along."
1
Earhart & Noonan were having an affair and split so they could live in peace and quiet
4
Literally, who cares about this and why? All this effort could be better invested in a project that actually benefits people.
4
@Jeff:
Its not funded by tax money.
14
Amelia, another false alarm.
7
My goodness, I certainly hope he can find evidence re Amelia E and her mysterious ending. In my lifetime there have been countless articles re the "gotcha" evidence only to be proven wrong.
5
You can search YouTube for videos of people explaining the navigation techniques used in the flight. They take the mystery out of the disappearance.
4
I await Bob Ballard's investigation. My mother was the Admin Assistant to the Executive Vice President of the Glenn L. Martin Aircraft Company in the 1930's. She told me stories of lunches with Amelia Earhart and the high regard she held for her. Amelia was a giant for her time and showed what women could do. Many Americans would like closure on her fate.
142
I'll trust in Mr Ballard's record of making rational decisions and choices which led to great discoveries that others thought weren't and not try to pick holes in the idea.
I when I scrolled over the picture of the atoll I thought what a blue lagoon. Then it hit me :) I guess that is a thing I was thinking was just a convenient movie title.
3
Please NYT keep up informed on this expedition. I enjoyed this article and hope we can learn more about Ballards latest expedition.
15
The notion is that Amelia landed safely on the flat reef and for several days made HF radio transmissions at night heard by some in the States but not by the US Coast Guard or Navy who were searching for them. During the day she and Fred Noonan went ashore. One would think that they would have removed the plane’s seats, engine cowling and much much more for survival purposes and to place on the beach as a signal. Instead, nothing was left or found save what might be an old bottle of anti-freckle cream. Amelia did not like her freckles. Yup, let’s bring anti-freckle cream ashore but not shiny aluminum airplane parts that could be seen by Navy pilots who circled the island several days later.
8
@John
This is exactly the issue I have with the TIGHAR expeditions. They cherry-pick and hype the favorable data and ignore the obvious (and considerable) unfavorable data. They come off as more interested in funding their next expedition than seeking the truth. If so, they succeeded. Kudos, I guess.
7
Why do people keep wasting time on vanity projects to find rusting hulks at the bottom of the Pacific? This is like when that billionaire got bored and used his yacht to find rotting aircraft carriers. We get it, you've got a lot of money and a big ego and want to get attention in a way that doesn't help anyone.
5
@SeattleGuy:
its not funded by tax money. It doesn't have to "help anyone".....its also not a "vanity project". Finding the Titanic was a truly big deal, as would this be.
13
@SeattleGuy
Hundreds of billions of tax dollars for Head Start realized nothing. The money is gone forever. And now people want universal pre-K. That’s tax money. How can anyone complain about how private money is spent?
7
@SeattleGuy
They aren't vanity projects, they were searching out the wrecks of ships that went down fighting in the second world war, where many men died in the course of that fighting, it is known as documenting the past and also to a certain extent honoring those who died there. It is also of course about knowledge, and yes adventure, human beings aren't all accountants or code nerds that live in their own worlds, people are curious, and if a billionaire spent money finding aircraft carriers like the Hornet or the original Yorktown, how is that any better than buying a sports team? Paul Allen used his microsoft fortune to search for those ships, steve ballmer spent 2 billion buying the LA clippers *shrug*....
3
Robert Ballard and Allison Fundis seem to be exemplary souls fired with detachment and determination to probe into the inscrutable areas of existence.The tight-fisted event is what the great Anglo Saxon wordsmith,Sir Winston Churchill ,characterised as ,puzzle wrapped in mystery and enigma . Be it the shipwreck of the indomitableTitanic in 1912,the tricky vanishing of intrepid aviator,Amelia Earhart in the year 1937,the enacting hand is that of the “the Spinner of the Years”,as portrayed by Thomas Hardy in his famous poem,”The Convergence of the Twain.”While this joke of the Infinite puts a veil or veneer over these abiding surprises,it behoves one to show indefatigable struggle and sustenance of pursuit to unravel the impossible.To be of more topical absorption,one may also recall the eternal mystery of the Malaysian Airlines flight,MH 370, whose fate has gone behind the tantalising conjectures of human ingenuity. In this dismaying scenario,the tenacity and pertinacity of the explorers,such as these two individuals,speaks volumes about their spirit of enterprise to unravel the hidden wonders of life.The suffering and the stumbling blocks that they are destined to countenance during their arduous probe is an ode to the wonderment of mundane life.All that we,”sitting ashore and longing perchance to visit dolphin corals in deep seas”,could do at this juncture is to say ,hurrah ,and hail their efforts ,wholeheartedly.
7
I really hope nobody gets offended when I say I don't particularly care if her plane is ever found.
No wait.. I don't care if anybody is offended.
Poor rich girl flying around the world to tell us how wonderful her life was? The stuff of dreams for some, but just more pointless publicity to others.
4
@Martino:
um....Amelia Earhart was not a "rich girl". (Probably would be considered upper middle class...her father was a railway clerk. Her grandfather had some money but it ran out, to the point that Amelia had to drop out of college.)
From wiki: "Earhart was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.[3][Note 2] She set many other records,[2] wrote best-selling books about her flying experiences, and was instrumental in the formation of The Ninety-Nines, an organization for female pilots.[5]"
Also: "Celebrity endorsements helped Earhart finance her flying."
29
I do understand your point of view but isn't that what invention, discovery, and accomplishments are all about. When people invent things, everybody dreams of inventing and helping the world. Amelia Earhart was a pioneer of a woman to BE A WOMAN and fly an airplane at the time because, at the time of her flights, women were oppressed and were despised to do things that men did like fly and airplane. @Martino
16
People climb mountains because they are there. People discover because they long to find. I wish this venture success.
69
Thank you for mentioning Tighar and their efforts throughout the years leading up to this latest expedition. While Ballard is the latest to join the search, his contribution and interest would not have been had it not been for the countless hours of dedication from Tighar.
18
All those long nights standing the navigation watch in the Pacific wondering where Amelia's plane went down. I was just a kid. It was an old US Navy Tin Can. The mystery seemed so real to me. I loved the adventure of it. Studying the charts. Thinking is this the spot. So many officers approached the chart desk wondering the same thing. Honored to see Mr. Ballard and Ms. Fundis continuing the search. God speed my friends.
The young man in the 22nd row.
41
As a child and then young adult, I was fascinated with the story of the Titanic and her sinking. Dr. Ballard found her and a giant mystery was solved. I hope that Dr. Ballard finds evidence of Ms. Earhart's final journey. He found the Bismarck, he is intelligent, determined, has the equipment, and it's a fascinating journey, both literally and figuratively. I believe in him and I am grateful for his respect for the Titanic and other sites that were the locations of people's deaths. Good luck, Dr. Ballard! I can't wait to see what you find.
15
The great explorers of the fifteenth century were skilled seamen, and brave , but only needed to stumble upon a continent to ensure their place in history and our collective imagination. Dr. Ballard has established a lifelong career of discovery that demonstrates much greater skill and imagination. He has found historical objects and revealed the often controversial factors that determined the destiny of these important archaeological artifacts. He is an explorer in the best sense: a discoverer of the truth. It is men and women like him that we need now more than ever in our lives who seek the truth and find it, forever leveling the wayward theories and conspiracies that are held by too many and providing historical closure to a world that is hungry for definitive truth in an age where villains of all sorts use conspiracy ,uncertainty and ,fear to pervert the truth. He is a hero in the best sense, a discoverer of truth and a man to whom we should all feel indebted and thankful for the dedication that he has shown to his noble cause in a most ignoble world.
19
As to the clue from the corner of a single old photo, maybe it’s time to bring back a term that has fallen out of common usage - will-o'-the-wisp.
8
@SkepticaL - This story aims for dramatic effect by focusing on that one photo. The body of research that led the search to this area is much greater than that, and begins much earlier -- a whole forest of "wisps" if you like.
Worth a read for anyone who's interested.
https://www.tighar.org/Projects/Earhart/AEdescr.html
13
I have to laugh because although I admire Bob Ballard and I hope he finds the Electra, I find it ironic that this article states that he promotes women explorers. There are several of us women explorers who have faced closed doors to the elite Explorers Club in New York, while our male colleagues brag about their membership, and Dr. Ballard is one of the gatekeepers of that club. Granted, there are some exceptions to this. I once asked Dr. Ballard a question at a reception, and he waved me off; this isn't the first time that I observed this behavior. My experience for the last 30 years has been that our male colleagues get the accolades and recognition, while those of us women explorers are persona non grata for the most part. I'm happy for Ms. Fundis, and I sincerely hope that she gets the recognition she deserves as time goes by.
280
@Birdygirl Completely agree. The expedition should be staffed completely by women. Would not be hard to find competent women at all including some of the amazing and pioneering women fighter pilots ...maybe they will read these comments and change the staffing before the film.
12
Perhaps other women explorers are more important than you are.
13
@Birdygirl. Thank you for an alternative view. Perhaps Dr. Ballard became more "enlightened" with age and more accepting of women in these under-represented positions. I myself have seen this phenomenon in another male-dominated profession. However, to my knowlege, it still remains rare.
21
Is is just coincidence that when you connect the cloud "dots" in that satellite picture you get a picture of Elvis?
70
Isn’t it wonderful that we’re finally getting AI to replicate that human ability to see patterns in things where there is no actual significance? Constellations as mythological figures are our examples. Imaginary WMD installations, cancers in tissue samples, real or imaginary road obstacles; that’s the AI basket.
Elvis, of course, also has significant presence in photos of Mars.
6
@mja I disagree. I think it is the Peanuts character, "Snoopy" the dog.
4
@mja
Could be Elvis. Could be Judge Crater.
3
The giant hole in this theory: the assumption that the photographer or someone else in his party didn't notice the object. I think it's incredibly unlikely -- bordering on impossible -- that it wasn't noticed. The object actually appears to be quite close to the photographer's position -- the image looks like it was made with a normal, non-telephoto lens, which tends to make things appear further away than they are in person. The object, whatever it is, would have been much more obvious, and its characteristics more observable, in reall ife than in this grainy, contrasty, black & white photo. If it looked even slightly like a landing gear, they would have undoubtedly investigated further.
19
The search for the plane sounds interesting, but what about the archaeological search? On such a tiny island, it seems like they have a better chance searching for clues on land than in the ocean.
11
@Erica Tighar has traveled to Nikumaroro many times over the past 20 years doing archaeological searches of the island as well as the reef flat and the waters off the island. But at least initially and for a good length of time thereafter, their focus was on the land, and they indeed have turned up a number of tantalizing clues and artifacts.
4
Dear Mr. Ballard, I eagerly await.
10
I can’t tell for sure but the little smudge to the left of the ship looks a lot like the Loch Ness Monster.
99
I have always believed that the spirit of Miss Earhart wants to be found. There is a reason why we have never forgotten her.
24
This isn't at all where the plane is. I highly recommend listing to the podcast Astonishing Legends, where they host the man who has most likely found the plane. Why NatGeo is wasting their time on this endeavor is beyond me.. I guess because Bob Ballard but still - he's wrong.
2
All the conspiracy theories surrounding her disappearance have about as much validity as the ones the right wing media and Trump are spreading about the death of Epstein.
Her navigator, Fred Noonan, was noted to be an alcoholic who was unreliable. Gore Vidal said that his father, who was chief of civilian aviation in the U.S. at the time and a friend of Earhart's, and others tried to convince her she was making a mistake taking him.
But, of course, conspiracy theories are so much more fun than are things that fit with the facts.
20
Isn't it interesting how we hear about women's history when some man is trying to make history? The only time I hear about Amelia Earhart these days is when some man is trying to gain glory by finding her plane. Maybe its because, when asked about her reluctance to marry, she said "I am still unsold on marriage. I don’t want anything, all the time." Amelia, we love ya.
57
@Amy Luna Amelia was married,in 1931, to George
Putnam.
11
@KT
Noteworthy that The Times story today did not at least add one paragraph on Putnam's eagerness to encourage (without risk to HIS life) Earhart's ability to make money by flying around the world.
8
@Amy Luna:
not remotely true....maybe 50 years ago it was? Not now.
Wait a minute. Ballard et al haven't even gotten there yet, on a search based on a tiny smudge on a photo, and the TV program by Natl Geo Soc is already scheduled for Oct 20?!?!
How can they be so certain whether there will even be anything to SHOW on Oct 20?? This just seems bizarre.
There's either more evidence not revealed here or the entire thing doesn't pass a basic 'smell' test.
17
@Ambient Kestrel
Shades of Geraldo Rivera opening up Al Capone's vault.
23
It’s the show is scheduled so they can use the dramatic, scary voice-over guy that appears in all these types of programs. I can’t stand them!! I almost never watch any of them, even ‘Nova’ anymore.
4
I believe you mean Will Lyman. He’s brilliant; could make a grocery list threatening.
3
Find it odd that a British naval officer would not have seen landing gear sticking out of the water off a remote island.
Not like there was a lot of visual clutter competing for his attention.
Not like Earhart's disappearance in the general area wasn't in the news.
How often have we all looked out over an ocean and seen a small irregularity and speculated or wondered what it was?
Wish Dr Ballard the best of luck.
119
@Spatchcock
It looks easy to miss to me. Your assumption that he would have the news a few months after her disappearance is not a sure assumption and even if he did know she was supposed to be a few hundred miles to the northwest.
10
@Spatchcock
I think that that is a good point: anything that would be visible (albeit with some enhancement) on a photograph of that time with an ordinary lens (not highly telescopic) would be plainly visible to a naval officer.
16
@Spatchcock
How easily we discredit the value of a null hypothesis. We're not really interested in figuring out whether we're right; we're seeing if we're wrong. Given the flight plan, Nikumaroro seems like as logical a search pattern as any.
Besides, Ballard is explicitly presenting this mission as a training exercise. He's getting old for field work. You have to learn archaeological methodology somewhere. Looking for nothing is often a better waste of time than actually finding something. You learn what not to look for...
8
"The expedition is being funded by the National Geographic Society, which will record the progress of the Nautilus and its crew for an Oct. 20 television program."
That date has been circled in red on the calendar in the kitchen.
The very best of luck to Robert Ballard, Allison Fundis, and their crew in this gallant yet dangerous expedition.
I keep thinking it would be wonderful if Ms. Earhart's plane was located by the woman who will probably take Mr. Ballard's place. What an incredible potential passing of the torch on so many levels - a female explorer of the water discovering the female explorer of the air's missing plane.
Thank you Julie Cohn and NYT for another fantastic read. What a great way to start the day and the week.
36
I'm as curious as the next person, but I fear that the reality is that a very small plane was lost in a vast expanse of ocean, and that after 82 years it is in pieces, scattered widely, and at a very deep location. I wish Dr. Ballard well and look forward to what he finds, though.
10
There have been so many theories about Earhart, so many searches, and the possibilities take in such a vast area of ocean....I wish Ballard well, without much hope.
What nobody wants to say is that Earhart was a mediocre pilot who got her big breaks because she was glamourous. On the transatlantic flight that made her famous she was a passenger, not the pilot.
9
@Jonathan Well, it is true that during the first transat flight that arguably made her "famous" she was the passenger and indeed described herself as being about as important to the flight "as a sack of potatoes," but a couple of years later, she did fly the Atlantic, solo, in a Lockheed Vega, and was the first woman to do so. But I agree with you that she was probably not a very good pilot, based on her record of crashes, her lies about her total logged flight time, and the opinions of other pilots, both female and male, who observed and flew with her.
2
Good luck to Dr. Ballard, but TIGHAR’s record with Amelia Earhart is pretty lousy. The group almost annually makes some startling announcement about a discovery that will “solve” the mystery that almost inevitably ends up in failure.
10
@Brian
Agree. But "almost" inevitably ends in failure? They're like 0 for 8!
2
Good god! Are there still people obsessing about Amerlia?
7
It will be wonderful to establish, after all these decades, that Ms Earhart died somewhere.
12
I teach elementary students. What do you say I drop my current curriculum for a minute and have my kids read this article, then do a research project on Ms. Earhart?
Let's do it!
108
@Scott Franklin What do you say I bring my travel- and map-loving adventurous 7-year-old daughter to join you?!
19
Sounds like a fun day at school! Perhaps as an on-ramp to adulthood, you can have them speculate what leads “old folk” to leave so many strident and angry comments in the comments section 80 years later... And then encourage them not to become like that.
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@SD
How about we take the children for a trip that does not involve our interests in dead publicity seekers? How about not pressing parents' shallowness on to the next generation? How about asking the children what they want to see?
2
I'd rather wish Dr. Ballard would put his remarkable skills to work at finding the wreckage of Malaysia Flight 370.
Now that would be a heroic effort truly worthy of praise -- helping to bring closure to hundreds of families and people who lost their loved ones ... and at the same time solving one of the greatest mysteries in aviation.
92
This caught my eye, "classified technology to enhance the picture". I do say, a lot of the technologies our Agencies have, does make it to the public. Photoshop on steroids.
Solving the misery would also be good. Can't wait for their findings. Good Luck!
Also, no need to scan trumps head with classified technology, we already know it's empty!
Sorry, couldn't help myself.
42
It is a paradox that had Amelia Earhart succeeded in her flight relatively few people would know her story today. I mean can you name the first man to do what she was trying to do without Googling it? I can't, and more, I don't care.
But I care about Amelia. I care that a news story from when my mother was 19 still matters a bit. I care that she failed and it was that lack for which she will be remembered. In a way, I hope they never find her; being known is the first step to being forgotten.
16
@KxS
Well, Charles Lindbergh was the first across the Atlantic. I don't know about the Pacific. So yeah, Google it is.
1
@BC Lindbergh was the 19th across the Atlantic. He was the first solo flight.
7
I'm not very optimistic about this Bevington Object. It's quite noticeable from the picture and in clear view of the grounded ship. Any sailor is taught to scan the waterline for debris and navigational hazards called "partially submerged objects", especially in those days pre-dating radar. The Bovington picture was taken aboard a ship and the lookout or any watchstander on the bridge must have been aware of this object - why don't any contemporary accounts of it exist? A lookout is instructed to scan 360 degrees for anything worth reporting. If the crew had spotted an airplane's suspension gear on a deserted island far away from civilization that wouldn't that have surely generated logbook entries?
7
@TylerBarkley
While the time line is not clear, the article states, "A British freighter had run aground years before...". Either the freighter ran aground before Earhart's flight - thus nothing to see - or, if after, in the confusion of running aground on the reef, the captain of the vessel had other things on his mind besides making a log entry of some piece of junk off in the distance, a piece he might not have seen or presumed was part of another ship.
7
@TylerBarkley Very good point.
1
Hey Tyler, if the ships lookouts were up to snuff, that ship would not be stuck on that reef! :)
5
I'm not very optimistic about this Bevington Object. It's quite noticeable from the picture and in clear view of the grounded ship. Any sailor is taught to scan the waterline for debris and navigational hazards called "partially submerged objects", especially in those days pre-dating radar. The Bovington picture was taken aboard a ship and the lookout or any watchstander on the bridge must have been aware of this object - why don't any contemporary accounts of it exist? A lookout is instructed to scan 360 degrees for anything worth reporting. If the crew had spotted an airplane's suspension gear on a deserted island far away from civilization that wouldn't that have surely generated logbook entries?
4
@TylerBarkley
De brie was unfortunately completely consumed during investigative procedures used to fully analyze de cabernet.
7
If anyone can locate the wreckage, or at least enough evidence to allow for some further answers, it's Dr. Ballard and the Nautilus team. I've been following the Nautilus for a number of years. They regularly post updates on social media. They have an amazing crew aboard. It's a hugely worthwhile effort and I for one am cheering them on and look forward to updates. Even if they don't find what they are looking for, Nautilus always finds amazing things that inspire awe and wonder. Fair winds and following seas team!
28
TIGHAR has been studying the hypothesis described here for years. I’ve followed it on and off but eventually became skeptical and lost interest.
It appears Mr Gillespie may be correct after all. Glad to see him get credit here. His tenacity is breathtaking.
12
A blurry photo from 1937 is all the have ,with technology today,where's the cameras that can read street signs from space. No men were interested in risking their life ,back then in which was a near impossible mission at that time. Yet a woman would because she has to prove that a woman could do it,plain and simple.So people can be so worried and so consumed for too many years ,did she consider that ,men have.Not denying the great accomplishments of women ,but plainly only risking death when the task is no more than flying from one place to another is a stretch just to prove a womans place.
1
@Alan Einstoss
As humans we have always done something simply to do it. Curiosity, adeptness and a sense of adventure is what made homo sapiens thrive and flourish eons ago. With those traits come danger but without the attempt we would have few of the accomplishments we have. As women make up half the species why should we not assume some of the risk? Would her life have more meaning if she had died in childbirth? She was ahead of her time and a great inspiration to little girls everywhere. A woman's place is wherever she can do best move the needle, in science, art or sheer gutsiness.
36
Yes, she did it to prove a point. Like Charles Lindberg. Like Sir Edmund Hillary. Like Admiral Byrd. Like Columbus. Like hundreds of thousands of other men who were explorers. What’s your issue with that?
64
@Alan Einstoss. are you forgetting her male navigator?
4
I love the way people think they have a right to tell someone else how to spend their money. Perhaps these people should post all of their financial information, so that we can critique their personal choices. I assume they live in tiny houses, plant gardens, can, shop thrift shops, and do many other cost saving strategies so they can donate all their money to humanitarian charities.
I am looking forward to the outcome, as so many theories have been proposed. For the longest time, it seemed that the Japanese were a serious possibility. Part of the problem has been credible clues for so many different theories.
27
Can we blame Trump for this? In all honesty it was refreshing to read an article here not discussing politics. I hope they finally solve the mystery.
26
@E
You make a good point. However, if up to me, I would direct Dr. Ballard to the Epstein death - so much more is a stake there. The future of the free world. Thanks for the reminder!
8
ignoring the value of discovering her plane/fate, I have questions about the pic - would she lower the landing gear for a landing attempt on soft sand? She certainly wouldn't for a water landing. Which raises the question of why the landing gear would be torn off. Further, if it was, wouldn't the tire provide buoyancy and turn the gear upside down?
2
@Tom
She may not have lowered the gear. Stowed in the engine nacelle, there could have been significant structural damage to the plane (and the nacelle) upon landing in the water, thus leading to parts of the aircraft being torn off. It's not possible to know from the picture how much of the gear is involved - is it the gear alone (as seen in the other picture in the article) or is there more structure attached to it? Buoyancy of one tire may not have been sufficient to keep anything afloat, assuming that the tire seal to the wheel even remained intact.
17
@Tom Earhart was landing on a dry (okay, damp) and broad reef flat, not the soft sand of the beach, which can be confirmed by referencing the tide tables for the day and time she would have arrived overhead Niku. The water that you see in the photo of the Bevingdon Object is about a foot deep, and disappears entirely when the tide goes out. Having been flying since 1967, I'd sure check my gear was down and locked.
3
I wonder if the tire on the landing gear is pneumatic. If so, I'd also want to know if that tire would provide sufficient buoyancy to have a severed gear float.
If so, it could be a landing gear from the Lockheed, but substantially far from the balance of the wreckage field. In any event, it's good to see people working to solve these mysteries - it's a welcome break from the drudgery of the usual day-to-day news.
64
More startling is the clue as to why we continue to look
3
@MB
It's obviously our nature. No mystery there.
3
It’s so wonderful to receive such intriguing news after reading so many tragic and horrific stories in past weeks. I cannot believe that there is a possibility that experts may be able to find the remains of her plane and uncover one of the biggest mysteries of all time.
66
Please let’s solve this mystery so we can get on to the next great mystery, who killed Epstein.
225
@Rich Murphy assuming that he is actually dead.
38
@Rich Murphy Touché
10
@Multimodalmama. I saw him having burgers with Elvis at my local Wendy's just yesterday.
12
Absolutely fascinating read. Thank you NYT and Julie Cohn for this exceptionally informative - and exciting - article! Well done!
144
This is very exciting news! I hope they are successful!
55
Dr.Ballard has experience in these matters. Regardless...the amount of land between San Francisco and Tokyo, relative to the Pacific Ocean is Infinitesimal. 155.5 million km2 vs 8million km2. How do you say..? "a drop in the ocean"?
Remember ,if it is probability not chance, in this. And all his other finds were ships with records etc. and not planes flying at 125 NM pointed towards who knows.
1
I’ve never understood the fascination or reverence for Amelia Earhart. She tried to fly across the ocean and failed. Save your amazement for someone who succeeded.
5
@Jon, people have to try before one person succeeds, and then you have commercial flights across the pacific every day. Studying one of the try-ers is fascinating and worthwhile.
15
@Jon - "Save your amazement for someone who succeeded."
If some 63 million Americans had taken that advice someone other than Donald Trump would be President.
However Amelia Earhart did succeed at a great many things in her life. She may have failed at that attempt and paid a high price for it, but it was all of her other successes that made it a tragedy.
41
@Jon Seriously? Here's how she succeeded: She set several aviation records (first person to fly solo from Hawaii to the mainland) and championed the advancement of women in aviation. I'm guessing you're not a female, as you obviously don't recognize the importance of her achievements in the time period in which they took place - and to women in general. It's either that, or you're obtuse to what "success" means. It's like saying those who died in every unsuccessful Apollo project aren't worthy of being recognized ... because technically they didn't reach their destination. To point is, in a time when aviation technology was in its infancy, she risked her life to test the limits of that technology and the expectations of her role as a female. I, for one, applaud those who have the means to find out just how "unsuccessful" she was.
167
Here are the facts imo.
She is dead otherwise she would be the longest living person every documented in history.
Her plane almost certainly crashed in the water because the overwhelming topography/ there is water.
Fine is somebody wants to investigate but don't add it to the tab of the average taxpayer, let a private firm completely do it.
1
@Paul
You did read this part, yes?
"The expedition is being funded by the National Geographic Society, which will record the progress of the Nautilus and its crew for an Oct. 20 television program."
11
National Geographic is an independent company and is funding the operation.
10
@Paul
National Geographic is funding it so relax.
11
Sometimes I wonder about humanity. While I appreciate the mystery has captured some people’s imagination, I ask myself...is this the best way to be spending resources?
She is dead and gone a very long time ago. Most of us don’t care anymore. There are people alive today who are victims of crimes who could use the tenacity and perseverance of investigators as well as the money involved. Who funds this stuff?
8
It says it in the article. National Geographic is funding it and they will broadcast a show on Oct 12 about the efforts.
7
@F. National Geographic is paying for this one.
3
@F
National Geographic, it's in the article.
3
I appreciate Dr. Ballard's efforts here, and I hope he finds the craft quickly, as that would allow him to potentially put to rest aviation's greatest mystery of the 20th Century. If he is able to solve it, part of my desire is that he'd next focus on aviation's greatest mystery of the 21st Century -- finding MH370.
296
@Ted, My thoughts exactly, except Dr. Ballard should devote his considerable resources and expertise to the MH370 search first, as finding its wreckage would be a much appreciated gift to the hundreds if not thousands of family members who lost their loved ones in that crash. Amelia Earhart can wait another few years.
17
@Michaelira Governments have put millions of dollars and countless man hours with tons more sophisticated equipment trying to find MH370 than Dr. Ballard with his privately funded expedition could ever hope to have. His mapping of the water around ‘tis 5-mile atoll is infinimitessible compared to what has been covered more recently in MH 370.
My heart breaks for, yes, the thousands living daily with the what if’s of the more recent disaster.
Aerhart’s Story is romance, history and adventure that deserves a conclusive ending.
47
@Michaelira
With all his technology, Ballard can still only examine a small area of the ocean bottom. That's why he did not try to find Earhart's plane until someone had a good idea of where it may be located.
The challenge with MH370 is that no one knows where within the Indian Ocean it may be. To find a needle in a haystack, you first have to know which haystack to search.
85
I send them every good wish. But after having our hopes of finding her raised so many times, I will believe it when I see it.
9
Opening the image in a new tab enlarges the photo showing the object, not as a "smudge" but a metal object shaped somewhat like a buoy about halfway vertically and towards the left edge of the photo. "Photoshopping" the photo using just a commercially available application renders it even more clearly.
I can't say if it's a landing gear but if after viewing it enhanced by the latest technology, Ballard and colleagues think it worth following up, I'd be hard-pressed to dismiss the effort off hand.
114
Here in Bermuda we know how hard it can be to locate even a well known shipwreck event - even with a good general location - there are several we are still looking for. The landing gear materials in shallow water would survive in good shape to this day - have they been found / collected by someone or are they still there ? And damage from impact to coral reef would also still be visible we can trace some 17th century shipwreck sites back to the reef they first impacted! We have several examples of old aircraft in reef here in Bermuda if they need to see what it could look like. Even grown into and covered by reef there is a distinctive color or hue taken up by the area that you can see on a clear day from low flying drone imagery. Especially intriguing and hopeful is the idea that they may have survived and lived on the island. The old adage “truth is stranger than fiction” may hold true again - good luck!
205
“I feel like Leakey handing it off to Jane Goodall,” he said, referencing her mentor, the paleoanthropologist Louis Leakey.
Dr. Ballard feels strongly about promoting women, especially as the Nautilus searches the ocean for one of history’s great female pioneers. Women make up just over half of the crew of the ship.
Ms. Fundis said she is thrilled to be sharing leadership of the Earhart expedition.
“She just had a remarkable life and was a remarkable person, with a sense of bravery that broke down barriers and expectations at a time when society kind of felt like a woman really shouldn’t or couldn’t accomplish what she did,” she said.”
That is the real heart of this story. I’m happy to see that some people really get that. Can’t wait to see how this plays out!
387
@Casey I totally agree, but why or why do we still have to make a big deal over "handing it over to a woman", as if Dr.Ballard is doing some big special favor to womenkind. Pass it to the most qualified, and/or, stop making it a news story that women actually work, have credentials, and are qualified for "men's work". It's getting tiring to me.
50
We note it because, sadly, it is *still* the exception. A tad bit paternalistic (as per his age/generation), but hope one or two more generations will *finally* normalize a woman's role across all academic and tech fields.
94
@Heather. Because both men and women have been reflexively handing responsibility over to men forever. In order to correct that, and until humans can truly be trusted to judge who is “most qualified,” we sometimes have to intentionally let women lead the way.
47
I remember reading press reporting in 2012 on the imagery of a possible piece of the landing gear. I thought at the time that the key to proving or disproving this theory was to get Ballard or some one with his capability to do a thorough underwater probe at that site. If the plane did wind up on the reef it probably was destroyed beyond recovery by wave action. However, what would not be destroyed beyond identification are the engines wherever they may have wound up. If they can be found the mystery is finally solved. They are the key.
16
@John Collinge >> Aha! "Somewhere between lies and truth lies the truth" --Damien Hirst, The Wreck of the Unbelievable
Previous achievements are no guarantee of future success. Big Brown and twenty one other horses came to the Belmont to win the Triple Crown and lost. That said, I wish Dr. Ballard success in his venture.
2
I think the idea is to find a smudge of evidence and then make the journey worthwhile. The information left behind puts them in this path. Hunches come in bunches, but this is something they think might be worth a chance. A tiny little smudge enhanced by technology makes it worth a shot. One of the most famous mysteries and the interest of National Geographic make it a worthwhile chance for history and entertainment. God speed and good luck to all looking.
61
I wish the Bevington photo would have had an arrow pointing to the smudge that is causing all the uproar. Or better yet, the enhanced image that is setting so much in motion, once again.
I'm not sure where to look on the low resolution picture, but there is a black speck, maybe a floating piece of driftwood, or who knows what.
To put this at rest for once and for all would be great. Negative findings don't prove anything; only until a piece of Electra landing gear is found or a wing or whatever, will people finally rest. To hitch your wagon to such a small piece of image is getting one's hopes up way too far. I know a lot can be done with image processing but to think that a small blip can be made to give more detail than is there (as in numerous TV shows with grainy images being enhanced to show license plates, etc) may be having even the scientists being lead astray.
32
@reid Click the link in the text - there is fascinating detailed information about the photo - including the location of the "smudge" and how they improved the image.
21
@reid In Chrome I can right click on the photo to open it in a new tab, then click to zoom in. Then it's more clear.
6
@reid There is considerable other evidence that motivates them to look here, it is not just the Bevington Object. A skeleton found (then lost) back in the 1940s or so; small artifacts from the 1930s found on the island; anecdotal evidence of persons living on the island in the 1940--1960 period; triangulation of post-loss radio signals ...
12