Note: While the Archeology Travel Examiner is supposedly on vacation, some news cannot wait until her return.
Archeology isn’t just about pots. It’s also about sunken ships (HMS Titanic), forensics (To Catch a Relic Looter) or lost planes (Bermuda Triangle). One the most fascinating plane wrecks of all time concerns the mysterious disappearance of Amelia Earhart.
Yesterday, ABC news reported that possible mitochondrial DNA evidence gathered from a remote Pacific Island will be studied to see if it does in fact, belong to Amelia Earhart.
Almost 75 years ago, Earhart disappeared while attempting to fly around the world with her navigator in a Lockheed A-10E Electra. $4,000,000 was spent on failed rescue attempts and over time, conspiracy theorists debated her disappearance, offering hypotheses ranging from a direct crash into the ocean to alien abduction a la Star Trek Voyager.
Researchers at The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (Tighar) now believe Earhart was stranded on Nikumaroro Island, a theory supported by remnants of a 1930s compact and other cosmetics items recently uncovered at an old campsite.
Additionally, a female descendent of Earhart has donated samples of her mitochondrial DNA (genetic material passed only from mother to daughter) to assist in proving (or disproving) Tighar’s theory.
While expert opinion (and conspiracy theorists) are still divided over just where and why Earhart’s plane went down, Tighar is convinced this small island, 1,800 miles south of Hawaii, holds the final clues to this mystery and will attempt to prove it.
Archeologists and researchers will be returning to Nikumaroro next June, hoping to find the definitive answer.
Read the full ABC news article here.
Comments
I've always been fascinated by the Earhart story and look forward to your follow up on this.
Pauline, History & Landmarks Examiner
Never knew what ever happened to her. That is quite interesting that her mystery might be solveed
These guys are way off base. My father, Vincent V. Loomis researched the diappearance of Amelia Earhart and his findings published in the book, "Amelia Earhart: The Final Story". Amelia and Fred Noonan crashed landed off an atoll in the Marshall Islands, her plane was removed from the water by the Japaneese and hidden on another atoll. Earhart and Noonan were captured,imprisoned, and both died in the hands of the Japanese military,
Hi Ms. G! Great article!
Why are they waiting a year to return to the island?
Tim:
Regarding your question on waiting a year before their return to the island - my understanding is that it has something to do with the $500,000 research grant they obtained.
It's a topic that still fascinates. I look forward to reading more reports.
I'd like to send a team of radio experts to test the existing evidence by creating comparative control evidence from the very location suspected to be her final home. We have the people and most of the equipment, but need to find travel funding. Who can help?
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