Atlantis is the world's most famous fictional island, invented by Greek philosopher Plato 2,300 years ago. But Spanish researchers claim to have found the source of his inspiration – a series of sunken islands off the northwest coast of Africa. The former islands would have been close to the modern-day Canary Islands, but they sunk millions of years ago, the experts think. They've christened the now-submerged lands'Los Atlantes', in reference to the myth of Atlantis which still persists today. Luis Somoza, a marine geologist at Geological Survey of Spain (IGME-CSIC), told Live Science: 'This could be the origin of the Atlantis legend.'

The Chinese military is developing a fleet of new submarines that will navigate the ocean without a human crew, according to scientists involved in the project. The submarines will be powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), allowing them to navigate independently and work alongside existing fleets. The crew-less submersibles will be relatively large and low-cost compared to other military watercrafts, according to scientists working on the project. The AI submarines are rumoured to be fitted with diesel-electric engines to enable them to stay at sea for several months without returning to dock. China will use these unmanned subs for intelligence gathering missions, planting sea mines, and'kamikaze'-style attacks on high-value targets, the scientists said.

China is developing large, smart and relatively low-cost unmanned submarines that can roam the world's oceans to perform a wide range of missions, from reconnaissance to mine placement to even suicide attacks against enemy vessels, according to scientists involved in these artificial intelligence (AI) projects. The autonomous robotic submarines are expected to be deployed in the early 2020s. While not intended to entirely replace human-operated submarines, they will challenge the advantageous position established by Western naval powers after the second world war. The robotic subs are aimed particularly at the United States forces in strategic waters like the South China Sea and western Pacific Ocean, the researchers said. The project is part of the government's ambitious plan to boost the country's naval power with AI technology.