How did scientific understanding in the 1800s influence views on Atlantis?

In the mid-1800s, scientific understanding was evolving beyond Biblical timelines. People began approaching Atlantis with a scientific lens as they discovered continental drift explaining matching fossils across oceans. This scientific perspective was further prompted by archaeological discoveries showing similar structures like pyramids, writing systems, and agricultural practices between isolated civilizations such as Egyptians and Mayans. These similarities between cultures that seemingly couldn't have communicated raised questions about potential shared origins or knowledge transfer, making the concept of an advanced lost civilization like Atlantis scientifically intriguing rather than merely mythological.