Scientists Claim Breakthrough In Amelia Earhart Mystery After 88 Year

Amelia Earhart’s Disappearance: A Long-Standing Mystery

Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, vanished in 1937 while attempting to circumnavigate the globe with navigator Fred Noonan. The pair disappeared during a 20-hour flight from New Guinea to Howland Island.

The U.S. Coast Guard was helping locate the island, but they never arrived. Some experts believe Noonan may have miscalculated their position due to the International Date Line, possibly leaving them 400 miles off course.

Theories and Discoveries

Many theories have surfaced over the years, but none confirmed. Some suggest Earhart crashed near Gardner Island (now Nikumaroro), where she made four radio calls for help. Others propose she and Noonan survived the crash but died stranded.

Recent Developments

On July 2, researchers revealed new satellite images from Nikumaroro showing what could be the shape of Earhart’s plane. The area was exposed after a 2015 cyclone shifted sand. “We believe we owe it to Amelia and her legacy at Purdue to fulfill her wishes,” said Purdue’s general counsel Steve Schultz. Archaeologist Richard Pettigrew noted, “What we have here is maybe the greatest opportunity ever to finally close the case.”

Crabs and Human Remains

A National Geographic theory suggests Earhart survived the crash but later died on the island, where massive coconut crabs may have scattered her remains. In 1940, 13 bones found on the island were thought to be hers, but tests suggested they belonged to a man. More recently, a skull found in a Kiribati museum might belong to an adult woman. “Coconut crabs had scattered many bones,” the article explained.