Discovery En Espanol Reveals That Mermaids Do Exist and Examines The Reasons They Have Remained Hidden... Until Now

USA - English

• Latin America - español

MIAMI, July 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Once upon a time there was a little mermaid who lived in a castle under the sea.  All she wanted was to rise up to the surface and meet a human being… This tale is told to children around the world time and time again.  It's a pretty story about a legendary creature that appears in the mythology of almost all cultures, but... is there any truth to the legend?  "SIRENAS," premiering Sunday, July 22 at 9 PM ET/PT on Discovery en Espanol, takes audiences to a world where mermaids are real.

"SIRENAS" blends real-life events and phenomena with the story of two scientists who testify they found the remains of a never-before-identified sea creature. The two-hour special suggests these beings may in fact exist. It is a story about evolutionary possibility grounded in a radical scientific theory – the Aquatic Ape Theory, which claims that humans had an aquatic stage in our evolutionary past. While coastal flooding millions of years ago turned some of our ancestors inland, is it possible that one group of our ancestors didn't retreat from water but rather went in deeper? Could they have ventured farther into sea out of necessity and to find food? The Aquatic Ape Theory makes it possible to believe that while we evolved into terrestrial humans, our aquatic relatives turned into something strangely similar to the fabled mermaid. As evidence that humans once evolved into aquatic creatures, the Aquatic Ape Theory cites some of the striking differences between man and other primates and the many features we share with marine mammals, including webbing between fingers, subcutaneous fat, control over breath and instinctive ability to swim, among other characteristics. The program suggests that mermaids may have split off from the same genealogical tree as humans and could still exist today.

To make this argument, "SIRENAS" focuses on the following true events:

• In the early 1990s, the US Navy began a series of covert sonar tests, which were linked to mass die-offs of whales, which washed up on beaches throughout the world. For years, the Navy denied they were responsible for these beachings.
• In 1997, scientists at the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recorded a mysterious sound in the deep Pacific, which was thought to be organic in nature. It has never been identified.

"SIRENAS" speculates that these facts may be related and that not only whales were affected by the Navy tests.  The program focuses on two scientists who spent years investigating the whales' mysterious deaths and made an astonishing discovery: the remains of a mermaid.

Through images and videos captured deep in the ocean and top-quality special effects, "SIRENAS" suggests that these mythological creatures may really exist.  The wealth of credible evidence it presents is sure to keep audiences wondering whether the fairy tales could in fact be true.

To learn more about Discovery en Espanol programming, interactive games and news, visit tudiscovery.com or follow us at facebook.com/discoveryenespanol.

About Discovery en Espanol
Discovery en Espanol is the Spanish-language voice of Discovery. It is the premier network dedicated to offering the finest in quality programming in the areas of science and technology, world culture and history, nature and wildlife as well as real-life drama. The network creates an indelibly enriching experience by collecting the best of what Discovery's networks have to offer in combination with its own original Spanish-language content. Created by the world's most trusted media brand, Discovery en Espanol translates not just the words, but the feeling of Discovery, educating and engaging audiences nationwide with fascinating glimpses into the incredible world they inhabit. For more information, visit tudiscovery.com or follow us on facebook.com/discoveryenespanol.

SOURCE Discovery en Espanol