Giant 'melted' crater in frozen Siberia confounds scientists. UFO?

A giant crater that's mysteriously opened up deep in the frozen permafrost of Siberia has mystified scientists and social media. Is it evidence of a meteorite? A UFO? A giant mole? (That last one's my own idea).

Scientists sent out to investigate say there are no signs of the scorching found when a meteorite hits, and think the permafrost has been melted from underneath. Possibly having something to do with the gas well nearby.

Trouble is, there isn't any sign of gas. They have taken samples away for testing to a more comfortable location than the cold Siberian steppes. For the moment, the mystery remains.

Video at link.

http://edition.cnn.com/video/standa...ge=yes&video_referrer=http://edition.cnn.com/

Now we know where the Yeti/Abominable Snowman have been hiding.

They've found another one! Nowhere near a gas well this time either.

'Reindeer herders in Russia's Far North have discovered yet another mysterious giant hole about 30 kilometers away from a similar one found days earlier.'

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/...ria-unraveling-with-2nd-discovery/503858.html

They found 2 more.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Two more craters of unknown origin have been spotted in Russia's Siberia region, weeks after a similar-looking hole was found in the isolated northernmost area, a local paper reported.

The Siberian Times, an English-language newspaper, published pictures of two new giant holes discovered by reindeer herders, one located in the Yamal and the other in the Taymyr peninsula, both above the Arctic circle.

The paper said that theories of their origin range from meteorites or stray missiles to aliens or an underground gas explosion. The report could not be confirmed independently.

Russian state TV reported earlier this month that a giant hole had appeared in the gas-rich Yamal peninsula where temperatures plummet below -50 degrees Celsius (-58 degrees Fahrenheit) and the sun barely rises in winter.

http://news.msn.com/offbeat/more-mysterious-craters-found-in-russias-remote-siberia-region

These holes may seem to indicate that northern Russia is rapidly becoming a giant Swiss cheese wheel, but other places have their fair share of perforations.

In 2010, a huge hole opened up in Guatemala City after heavy rains from a tropical storm. This sinkhole, at about 100 feet deep and 65 feet across, was the second of its kind in the nation. Both times, researchers blamed a burst water pipe below the streets, causing the hole that swallowed up much of its surroundings.

But at over 980 feet wide and 410 feet deep, the Great Blue Hole, a popular diving spot in Belize, could swallow all of these holes whole. This hole was originally formed as a limestone cave during the last ice age. When the ice melted and the sea rose, the cave filled with ocean water.

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But, the most likely explanation for the holes in Russia:

Deep below the surface in Siberia is a mix of ice, water, and soil. As the land heats, this mixture warms too. And as it warms, methane is released, building pressure against its surroundings. Eventually, the pressure increases until it blows, throwing aside everything in its way and forming a hole like these three.

Leibman says this formation may lead to a new lake. In the heat of the summer, the permafrost walls of the hole are melting and water is trickling down to pool at the bottom. If this continues and the flow increases, Siberia may see some new lakes.

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http://www.adn.com/article/20140730/mysterious-russian-holes-earth-becoming-perforated

The Daily Mirror has got an 'inside the Siberian sinkhole' video. It also has a poll that offers UFO crash landing as a choice.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/inside-siberias-mysterious-sinkhole-appeared-3940712