Kit Roberts
A pyramid structure which was found underwater off the coast of the Azore Islands has sent the internet into a frenzy.
Theories abound about the structure, which its discoverer claimed is 'perfectly aligned' with the points of the compass. This being the internet, many theories are floating around about the origins of this fascinating underwater structure.
Last time I checked, sharks don't have opposable thumbs so might find it tricky to quarry stone. Maybe an octopus or squid? I suppose they could lift the rocks with their suckers.
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Diocleciano Silva found the structure in 2013 while conducting a survey to chart ocean depths. He told local news outlets: "The pyramid is perfectly shaped and apparently oriented by the cardinal points."
It's located between the islands of Terceira and São Migue, and Silva claimed it appears to be almost perfectly square.
Some people online are convinced that the formation was in fact the result of some sort of ancient civilisation.
The problem with that theory is that the area in which the pyramid structure was discovered has been submerged for around 20,000 years.
Given that earliest known advanced human civilisation in Mesopotamia didn't begin until roughly 17,000 years later in around 3,000 BCE, it seems unlikely that humans are responsible for building this structure.
As for the 'pyramid' itself, it is around 60 metres tall and has a base of around 8,000 square metres. For comparison, the Great Pyramid at Giza is thought to have been around 140 metres tall when it was first constructed.
But the complete absence of any human civilisation or indeed any evidence to speak of has not gotten in the way of speculation that the structure is the result of some ancient and mysterious intelligence.
Could it be some pre-existing intelligent civilisation? Could it even be aliens placing pyramids on the Earth for reasons best known to themselves?
Some have also speculated that it is the remnants of the sunken city of Atlantis, a phenomenon which has captured people's imaginations for years.
Another submerged example is the Yonaguni Monument off the coast of Japan. This has a very particular structure which appears as though it has been carved out of the rock. However, geologists have observed the site and concluded it is likely to have been formed naturally.
As for the structure off the Azores, it's more difficult to access.
Though it has not been confirmed, the Portuguese navy suspects that Silva may have stumbled upon D. João de Castro Bank. This is an underwater volcano which is located on the sea floor between the same islands where Silva spotted the mysterious structure.