
19/07/2025
Mermaid Myth Unearthed by Tide—Sea Legend or Modern Fabrication?
Viral claims on X (, 2025) suggest a tidal revelation of a “mermaid” skeleton, possibly in the Mediterranean or Pacific, with fish-like tail bones and human-like upper limbs, hailed as proof of ancient sea legends like Greek sirens or Polynesian Vatea. Yet, no credible archaeological or marine biology reports substantiate this find. Similar “mermaid” discoveries, like the 2013 Kiryat Yam video (Haaretz, 2013), were debunked as CGI or costumed hoaxes, per Snopes (2025). Manatees or dugongs, often mistaken for mermaids by sailors, as in Columbus’ 1493 sighting (Live Science, 2022), likely inspired such myths. The absence of peer-reviewed evidence or institutional backing, like UNESCO’s oceanographic records, points to digital manipulation or misidentified marine remains, such as a decayed cetacean. Is this a tidal glimpse of ancient lore, or a recycled fantasy exploiting our love for the unknown?