This Island Doesn't Exist But Keeps Popping Up on Maps episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 11, 2026 · 12 MIN

This Island Doesn't Exist But Keeps Popping Up on Maps

from Bright Side · host TheSoul Publishing

There’s this wild mystery about an island called Sandy Island—it doesn’t exist, but it keeps showing up on maps. For years, people thought it was real because early explorers reported it, and mapmakers just went with it. Even Google Maps had it at one point! Then, in 2012, a research team sailed to where it was supposed to be and found… nothing but open ocean. Turns out, it was probably a mix-up with pumice stones floating on the water or just plain human error. Now it’s a reminder that not everything on a map is true, and even cartographers can get it wrong! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Feb 11, 2026

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This Island Doesn't Exist But Keeps Popping Up on Maps

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