What is the Bermuda Triangle? It is a patch of the Atlantic Ocean. It is out at sea. It is roughly the sea between Florida, Bermuda and Puerto Rico. Find those three places on a map of the Atlantic. Its edges are loosely defined. Writers draw it a little differently.

How big is it? The area people call the Bermuda Triangle covers about 500,000 square miles of ocean. That is a very big patch of sea. Many ships and planes travel through it. So it is a busy part of the ocean. Think of a busy road. This one is made of water and sky.

The Gulf Stream is a stream of warm water. It moves through the Atlantic Ocean. It carries warm water north along the coast of Florida. Then it carries it across the Atlantic Ocean. The Gulf Stream is warm, and it keeps moving.

Now think about storms. A hurricane is a big storm with strong winds. It forms over warm ocean water. A storm is called a hurricane when its winds reach 74 miles per hour. Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. Keep those two numbers in mind.

Before weather forecasts got better, ships in the area had less warning about storms than ships have today. Next, think about direction. A compass needle follows Earth's magnetism. That helps people tell which way is north. A compass is a tool for finding the way.

Where did the name come from? Let us find out how it began. You may think the name Bermuda Triangle is very old. In fact, it comes from a 1964 magazine article. The writer was Vincent Gaddis. For many years, people have told stories and written books about the Bermuda Triangle.

A 1974 book by Charles Berlitz became a best seller. It made the Bermuda Triangle famous. Now, what do the groups that watch the sea say? The U.S. Coast Guard does not treat the Bermuda Triangle as an area of special danger to ships or planes.

Look at the map again. Picture the sea between Florida, Bermuda and Puerto Rico. NOAA is the U.S. ocean science agency. It says there is no evidence that unexplained trouble happens more often in the Bermuda Triangle than in other busy parts of the ocean. A busy patch of sea, warm water, big storms and many stories. What would you like to know more about?

Words to know

• hurricane: big ocean storm
• compass: north finder
• evidence: facts that show
• magnetism: pulling force
• forecasts: weather predictions

The short version

The Bermuda Triangle is a patch of the Atlantic Ocean between Florida, Bermuda and Puerto Rico, and its edges are loosely defined. Many ships and planes travel through it. NOAA says there is no evidence that unexplained trouble happens more often there than in other busy parts of the ocean.

Quick facts

• The name Bermuda Triangle comes from a 1964 magazine article by Vincent Gaddis.
• The area people call the Bermuda Triangle covers about 500,000 square miles of ocean.
• A storm is called a hurricane when its winds reach 74 miles per hour.
• The U.S. Coast Guard does not treat the Bermuda Triangle as an area of special danger.
• A 1974 book by Charles Berlitz became a best seller and made the Bermuda Triangle famous.