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| The Science Channel |
THE discovery of a mystical island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean has sparked hope that fictional island Atlantic is REAL.
Archaeologists have used new technology to explore the ancient city of Nan Madol - which until now was inaccessible due to its incredibly remote location.
Clips from the Science Channel series What on Earth? reveals images of this epic city on top of a lagoon.
Nan Madol's name comes from the series of islands it consists of, which are connected by canals with large stone walls.
The city is being compared to Atlantis, which was first mentioned by philosopher Plato as a mysterious island which disappeared under the sea, but since then has become a popular idea, even inspiring its own TV series and the island of Atlanta in Disney's The Little Mermaid.
To this day Atlantis has never been found.
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| The Science Channel |
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| The Science Channel |
Amazingly, researchers believe that Nan Madol could date back to the first or second century AD, but no records exist of exactly when it was constructed.
Mark McCoy from Texas Southern Methodist University led the team of researchers, and said:
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| The Science Channel |
"It now looks like Nan Madol represents a first in Pacific Island history.
"To me, in its prime Nan Madol was a capital.
"It was the seat of political power, the centre of the most important religious rituals, and the place where the former chiefs of the island were laid to rest."
The island served as a burial site for chiefs who lived there.
Pohnpei is located just off the coast of the country of Micronesia, a tiny country made up of small tropical islands.
Scientists have been hunting for years to find the real lost city of Atlantis, but a new theory suggested last year that the city had been wiped out by a massive tsunami.
The Sun
The Sun
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