Lemuria, the lost continent: What happened? did it really exist?

Lemuria is a hypothesized lost continent in the Indian or Pacific Ocean. The concept originated in the 19th century and has evolved from a scientific theory to a belief held by occultists, theosophists, proponents of new-age spirituality, and Tamil nationalists.

The concept of Lemuria emerged in 1864 when British lawyer and zoologist Philip Lutley Sclater noted the high concentration of lemur species in Madagascar compared to Africa and India. In a paper titled The Mammals of Madagascar, Sclater proposed that lemurs migrated from Madagascar to Africa and India via a now-submerged landmass stretching across the southern Indian Ocean, connecting southern India, southern Africa, and western Australia. This theory emerged when evolutionary science and the understanding of continental drift were still in early stages.

Evolution into Myth and Mysticism

The idea of Lemuria transitioned from scientific circles to mystical and occultist realms. In the 1870s, mystic James Churchward envisioned Lemuria as the former home of an advanced human race, a paradise with over 64 million inhabitants capable of teleportation, telepathy, and astral travel, destroyed around 10,000 BC. Similarly, German biologist Ernst Haeckel suggested Lemuria was crucial to human migration out of Asia. Russian occultist Helena Blavatsky further popularized these ideas in works such as The Secret Doctrine. According to Blavatsky, Lemuria predates Atlantis and was situated in the Pacific, serving as the cradle of humanity inhabited by mystical, psychic hermaphrodites.

Evidence

Modern science has largely debunked the existence of Lemuria. However, in 2013, geologists discovered evidence of a submerged continent in the Indian Ocean, where Lemuria was believed to be. This continent, named Mauritia, disappeared approximately 84 million years ago. Geological data revealed fragments of granite and zircon in the Indian Ocean south of India, supporting the existence of this lost continent. While this aligns with some aspects of Sclater's original concept, it refutes the idea of Lemurians evolving into modern lemurs, as lemurs only appeared in Madagascar around 54 million years ago.

Over the years, more data has been collected that would confirm the past existence of Lemuria, although this information is still being studied.

Similar geological features, such as rock formations and fossil records, exist between India and Madagascar, despite the vast ocean separating them. This has led some researchers to believe they were once part of a larger landmass, which could be Lemuria.

The similarity of certain species, like lemurs, found in both Madagascar and India, has been cited as evidence Some researchers suggest these animals may have originated from a common ancestor that lived on Lemuria before it sank.

In 2013, geologists discovered fragments of granite and zircon in the Indian Ocean south of India, which supports the existence of a lost continent in the area where Lemuria was believed to be. This proposed continent, named Mauritia, disappeared approximately 84 million years ago. The zircon found on Mauritius dated back 3 billion years, even though the island itself only formed 2 million years ago.

Despite this evidence, many scientists remain skeptical about the existence of Lemuria, suggesting that the similarities between India and Madagascar could be explained by plate tectonics and evolutionary processes.

Cultural influence

The concept of Lemuria has significantly influenced popular culture and literature, inspiring various works of fiction, film, television, games, and music. Lemuria is often portrayed as a mysterious lost world with hidden knowledge or treasures.

Literature: Lemuria has been used as a setting or theme in novels such as The Last Lemurian: A Westralian Romance (1898), Lin Carter's Thongor of Lemuria novels, Thomas Pynchon's Inherent Vice, Karel Čapek's War with the Newts, and Daniel Pinkwater's Alan Mendelsohn, the Boy from Mars.

Film: Lemuria appears in film serials such as The Return of Chandu (1934) and The Lost City (1935). The antagonists in Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973) claim to be descendants from Lemuria, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier features a ship called The Lemurian Star.

Games: The visual novel Ever 17: The Out of Infinity features an underwater research facility named LeMU, with numerous references to the lost continent.

Lemuria's influence extends to various forms of media, serving as a symbol for hidden knowledge, lost civilizations, and inspiration for creative works.