Independent weather researcher Mila Zinkova is raising the question of whether the aurora borealis played a role in the events that led to the sinking of the Titanic. In her paper published in the journal Weather, Zinkova suggests it is possible that the aurora borealis interfered with navigational systems, making it difficult for the crew of the Titanic to avoid crashing into an iceberg, which led to the ship sinking and the deaths of over 1,500 people. In a prior paper, Zinkova also suggested that an ocean mirage could have played a role in the sinking, as well.