As widespread as the notion of Atlantis is, notes Mark Adams, the entire concept of a city-state that sank into the ocean can be traced back to Plato, who little guessed that it would become an obsession for people the world over. Also the author of Right Turn at Machu Picchu, Adams relates here how the Atlantis legend has an almost viral appeal, and how he too found himself infected with the desire to find the sunken continent. While sifting through Plato's works for clues and traveling to view the four most likely sites for Atlantis, Adams meets with maverick scientists hoping to solve the riddle, and considers our very human need for a lost world.