Lost lands are islands or continents that some people believe existed long ago but have since disappeared because of large Earth events, such as earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. Stories about lost lands often began as ideas from scientists or scholars, but later became popular among writers and others who are not scientists. Some groups, such as certain writers and communities, have also used these stories. Phantom islands are different from lost lands because they were once thought to exist during recent history by mapmakers, but later proven not to exist as more was learned about the world. Sometimes, it is unclear whether lost lands should be called continents, islands, or other types of areas. For example, Atlantis is sometimes described as a "lost island" and sometimes as a "lost continent." Ideas about lost lands can come from myths, philosophy, or scientific theories, such as those about major Earth changes. With the help of computer models that show how Earth's plates move, scientists have recently discovered and confirmed new lost lands, such as Greater Adria in 2019.

Submerged lands

Although the idea of lost continents in this way is considered mythical (except for Zealandia and Greater Adria), there were many areas on Earth that were once dry land. These places became underwater after the ice age ended around 10,000 BCE because sea levels rose. Some of these areas may have inspired flood stories from the Neolithic and Bronze Age. Others were lost due to coastal erosion or volcanic activity. An (incomplete) list follows:

Mythical and pseudoscientific lost lands

Atlantis, Lemuria, and Mu are examples of "lost lands," places that are said to have disappeared because of big disasters. These ideas come from different times and places, but they are often influenced by beliefs that are not based on real science, such as occult ideas or New Age beliefs. Even though there is no strong proof that these lands existed, they are still popular in stories and discussions about ancient mysteries and possible lost civilizations. People continue to talk about them, imagining different ways they might have been real.

The story of Atlantis comes from two writings by the Greek philosopher Plato, called Timaeus and Critias, written in the 4th century BCE. In these writings, Atlantis is described as a rich and powerful island that became corrupt over time. Eventually, it was destroyed by war and a big disaster involving earthquakes and floods. Most experts believe that Plato’s story was not meant to be real history but a way to teach lessons about morality.

Over time, people have reinterpreted Atlantis in many ways. One important figure was Ignatius Donnelly, who wrote a book in 1882 called Atlantis: The Antediluvian World. He claimed that Atlantis was the source of ancient cultures like Egypt, Mesoamerica, and the Mediterranean. Donnelly tried to support his ideas by comparing these cultures, but most scientists did not agree with him. However, his work started new ideas about Atlantis that are not based on real science.

In the 20th and 21st centuries, Atlantis has been used in pseudoarchaeology, which includes ideas about ancient aliens or lost advanced technology. Some modern theories place Atlantis in places like the Mid-Atlantic, the Caribbean, or Antarctica. Atlantis also appears in movies, books, and other media.

Even though many people have different ideas about Atlantis, scientists agree that there is no proof it ever existed. Atlantis is considered a mythical place created by Plato’s imagination.

Lemuria was first proposed by a British zoologist named Philip Lutley Sclater in 1864. He thought a now-submerged landmass between Madagascar and India might explain how lemurs spread across these areas. At the time, scientists did not fully understand how animals moved across the world, so Sclater’s idea was popular. Later, when scientists learned about plate tectonics, they found that land bridges were not needed to explain how animals spread. This made Sclater’s idea of Lemuria less accepted.

In the late 1800s, the idea of Lemuria was taken up by Helena Blavatsky and the Theosophical Society. They turned Lemuria into a mythical place linked to spiritual beliefs. They believed Lemuria was home to ancient people with special powers and that it was later replaced by Atlantis. As spiritualism grew in popularity, Lemuria became more connected to esoteric and occult ideas.

Today, Lemuria is still discussed in some books, movies, and spiritual beliefs, but scientists do not support the idea because there is no proof it existed.

The lost land of Mu was introduced in the late 1800s and early 1900s by Augustus Le Plongeon and James Churchward. Le Plongeon thought Maya symbols showed that the Maya people came from a lost continent called Mu, which he named after a mistranslation of an ancient text. Churchward later wrote a book called The Lost Continent of Mu (1926), claiming he translated ancient tablets that described Mu as a powerful civilization in the Pacific that influenced other cultures like Egypt and India.

Churchward’s ideas fit with a theory called hyperdiffusionism, which suggests all major civilizations came from one place. However, scientists do not believe Mu existed because there is no archaeological, geological, or historical proof of it. Evidence shows that ancient cultures developed independently, not from Mu.

Even though Mu is not supported by science, it appears in New Age beliefs, books, and discussions about ancient mysteries. People who believe in Mu often connect it to Atlantis and Lemuria, seeing them as a group of mythical places linked to spiritual ideas. Since Mu is based on made-up stories and not real evidence, it is considered a pseudoscientific idea.

Figures in literature and philosophy

The following people have written about the topic of lost lands (whether as stories, ideas, or believed facts):