Mark Linton, age 10, of South Jordan, Utah, for his question:

WHERE WAS ATLANTIS?

Some scientists say a great empire named Atlantis was on the tiny island of Thira in the Aegean Sea, and that a volcanic eruption destroyed a large portion of it about 1500 B.C.

The truth, however, seems to be that the empire was simply invented by Plato. His fanciful tale in the writing known as " Timaeus" told of a great empire that had been successful in taking parts of Europe and Africa. When the citizens planned an attack on Athens, there was resistance and the troops were defeated. Later, the story goes, Atlantis was hit by earthquakes followed by heavy rains and a great flood that sank it into the sea.

During the time when Christopher Columbus and. other explorers traveled around the world, they brought back stories of Atlantis that made many believe it had really existed.