Google Maps image of a phantom island (Google Maps via BBC, http://aka.ms/phantomIsland)

Mystery island on map never actually existed, researchers say

11/23/2012

Marine scientists are scratching their heads today trying to explain how an island roughly the size of Manhattan, featured for years on maps including Google Earth, apparently doesn't exist. University of Sydney researchers made the discovery after navigation charts aboard their ship showed Sandy Island's water depth to be 4,620 feet — so deep it doesn't suggest a landmass. They went to check out the supposed island off the coast of Australia, only to discover a stretch of unending, deep blue sea. Now scientists are trying to figure out how it got on the maps in the first place. We're puzzled too — isn't making up islands more what you'd expect from Apple Maps? [Source]

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How do you think the island could have ended up on maps?