Chilling truth behind why shoes were found in pairs on Titanic wreck

In the years that ocean explorers have been researching the sunken remains of the Titanic, one of the most eerie discoveries they've made was that of shoes belonging to deceased passengers.

Despite having sunk to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean over 112 years ago, the shipwreck remains a source of fascination for millions of people around the world.

As such, countless expeditions have been made to the seafloor to determine what they can about the tragic fate that befell the cruise ship, as well as who travelled inside - including the Titan sub, which imploded near the shipwrecked area last year, killing all five onboard.

Not only does the colossal loss of life that the Titanic suffered still send shivers' down spines, but the avoid-ability of hundreds of the fatality remains heartbreakingly prevalent, being that the correct amount of lifeboats could have undoubtedly saved them.

Countless objects have since been discovered in the wreck, which give voyagers clues about the identities of those who attempted the doomed journey to New York - including their shoes.

Littered around the Titanic's sunken hull and within the numerous cabins were early 20th century footwear items, many of which, were bizarrely found to be in pairs.

Hundreds of shoes were found in pairs (National Geographic)

Sadly, however, this isn't just a coincidence - as first-time explorers once hoped - and there's actually a harrowing explanation as to why.

It's actually because the shoes are all that remains of the passengers who went down with the ship to their death.

Over the course of the last century, deep-sea dwelling creatures would have made short work of the bodies that were unable to escape the disaster, leaving behind just their shoes.

The assertion was later supported by a study which saw a pig carcass - similar to the size of a human - dropped to the seabed.

The animal was reduced to bones within a matter of days, while these bones were consumed within a further six months.

The pressure of the water itself - particular that far below sea level - would have also had an impact on the condition the bodies trapped inside were in by the time they reached the bottom.

It's been 112 years since the Titanic sunk (Getty Stock Image)

The shoes themselves managed to survive this long, however, because of the tannic acid they were famously coated in as a means of protecting the leather.

This harsh, unflinching preservative would have remained unappealing to marine life at the bottom of the ocean, hence them frequently being discovered in near perfect condition.