The Scientific Fan Theory That Doesn't Bode Well For The Curse Of Oak Island Treasure
Are you the type of person who's fascinated with real-world history? Do you believe that there are treasures buried in the remotest corners of the globe just waiting to be uncovered by brave and persistent expeditionists? If you answered yes to either of these questions, "The Curse of Oak Island" is the reality series for you. Then again, it's highly probable that the show is considered appointment viewing in your household already.
Set on an island just off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, "The Curse of Oak Island" follows a group of real-life treasure hunters as they explore the area in an attempt to find legendary artifacts. Some of their efforts have proven to be prosperous and historically significant in the past. That being said, the quest to unearth the ultimate gems is still a work in progress. Of course, with the show surviving for nine seasons and counting, it seems that the adventurers will dedicate themselves to their mission for years to come.
"The Curse of Oak Island" is realistic in some ways. However, according to one fan theory, the reality series might not be 100% scientifically accurate, and fans tuning in hoping to see gold come to light could be in for some major disappointment.
Does The Curse of Oak Island ignore science?
The fine hosts of "The Curse of Oak Island" have found some treasure throughout the years. That said, the most fascinating missions are those that tease a big revelation only to come up short in the end, such as the time the gang found "pigments of rose gold" in some water, which they speculated was used to cover statues.
According to Redditor — and science expert – u/MacGalempsy, who is familiar with aqueous geochemistry, it's more than likely that the treasure has dissolved, if it was indeed used for the aforementioned purpose. This is because inert metals can only dissolve in water when the pE and pH levels are high enough, although these conditions "rarely occur in nature." The Redditor went on to suggest that "the dissolution of covered materials changed the water chemistry enough to dissolve the treasure and only little amounts remained," such as the pigments found in "The Curse of Oak Island."
Other Redditors weighed in with their thoughts on the show's scientific credibility as well. "The fact that gold is dissolved in sea water [sic] is known to many but doesn't fit the narrative so they simply 'overlook' it," wrote u/kennend3. This sentiment was echoed by u/Real-Ad8037, who claimed that "any student in high school chemistry can tell you that gold and silver in seawater is a given."
Some Redditors weren't fond of the scientific debate, however. "Don't bring science into our multi[-]million[-]dollar 9+ year search for wood," added u/crashespad.