The Zone of Silence
In the deserts of northern Mexico, legend says radios fall silent and compasses spin. It began with a rocket that went astray.
What was reported
The Zone of Silence is an area of desert near Mapimí in northern Mexico. Stories say that radio and television signals cannot be received there, compasses go haywire, meteorites fall more often and the plants and animals are strange.
The legend took off in July 1970, when a US Athena test rocket launched from Utah went off course and crashed in the area. A US team came to recover it, which fuelled rumours that the place was special.
Explanations offered
Scientists have not found any unusual electromagnetic effect that stops radio signals. The region does have iron-rich rocks and has had meteorite falls, which may have fed the stories. The area is now part of a biosphere reserve, and its reputation draws curious tourists.
- When
- Legend since the 1970s
- Where
- Bolsón de Mapimí, Durango, Mexico
- Witnesses
- Visitors and scientists
- Status
- Mostly explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.