Monica Lam

Ninety Degree Angle

Has Robert Sarmast found the island of Atlantis, or has he lost perspective?

Illustrator Nathan Huang

“When you put your finger on Atlantis, you’re basically putting your finger on the pulse of the greatest mystery on earth,” says Robert Sarmast, 39, a self-taught explorer who thinks he’s found that pulse. “Where did civilization start? What is the missing link? Where did the races migrate from? Where did agriculture, the alphabet, language start?”