People Are Only Just Discovering The Real Reason Why There Are No Skeletons In The Titanic Wreckage

It’s been more than a hundred years since the Titanic vanished beneath the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Yet, people still have numerous questions about the famous ship.

The Titanic’s allure is so powerful that some individuals have gone on expeditions to see it up close.

One such mission ended in tragedy with the infamous Titan submersible incident in 2023.

As people continue their quest to uncover more about the Titanic, some have recently learned why no skeletons are lying among the furniture, dishes, and treasures that went down with the ship.

It’s estimated that 1,517 people lost their lives after the Titanic struck an iceberg and began to sink in 1912.

The Titanic remains at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Image

Many were swept into the currents as the ship disappeared into the icy waters.

Others remained trapped inside the vessel, making it unlikely their remains could be carried off by currents or scavengers.

However, despite these circumstances, images of the wreckage reveal no skeletons among the debris.

The explanation for this phenomenon lies in the depth at which the wreckage rests, 3,800 meters below the Atlantic Ocean’s surface.

In the deep ocean, bacteria are capable of extracting nutrients from bones, thereby removing some remains of the passengers.

Another reason for the absence of skeletons is related to the chemical composition of seawater, which changes as one descends into greater depths.

Deep-sea explorer Robert Ballard, who first discovered the Titanic's wreck in 1985, provided an explanation.

The ship sank with furniture and belongings on board. AFP via Getty Images

He said that below a certain depth, water actually dissolves bones. He stated: "The water in the deep sea is under saturated in calcium carbonate, which is mostly, you know, what bones are made of."

“For example, on the Titanic and on the Bismarck, those ships are below the calcium carbonate compensation depth, so once the critters eat their flesh and expose the bones, the bones dissolve.

“Now in the Black Sea, because there's no critters to eat, the bones should not be exposed. So you should have perfectly mummified fossils."

This realization left internet users stunned, and many took to Reddit to express their surprise.

One person wrote: "I thought they’d be squished into jelly..."

Another commented: "Wait, since when do dead people sink?" while a third added: "The sea is human broth, confirmed?"

That’s definitely an image you could probably live without. But while there are no skeletons on the Titanic, there is still evidence of the passengers who were once on board.

This evidence comes in the form of their shoes. The treated leather of shoes is able to resist the effects of the chemical composition of the deep-sea water.

Suspended from Titanic's bow railing, rust "icicles" eat away at the decaying wreck National Geographic

This means that all that remains of those who perished on that tragic day are the shoes they were wearing.