Among the people of the Solomon Islands, some trace their heritage to the island of Teonimenu. But there is no island there, just a spot in the Pacific called Lark Shoal. The people tell of how Teonimenu disappeared into the ocean sometime between 1568 and 1768, due to a curse purchased by a betrayed husband, who sent eight waves to destroy the island and the hundreds of people who lived there. Some survived the sinking, and were blown by ocean currents to other nearby islands where their families have lived for hundreds of years.
The story, handed down by oral tradition, was discounted by scientists as a myth until fairly recently. But there is evidence that Teonimenu once existed, and the geological state of the land under the ocean makes it quite plausible that the island indeed slid into the ocean suddenly. The explanation they lay out is terrifying, and there is no wonder that the tale has been retold for generations. Read about the disappearance of Teonimenu at ABC. -via Metafilter
(Image credit: Patrick Nunn)