Geologists Solve Mystery of Siberian Crater

The hole's origins may be easier to explain than anyone thought.

By Lucas Laursen
Oct 30, 2014 5:00 AMNov 22, 2019 7:59 PM
methane-pit.jpg
AP photo/Press Service of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug Governor

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In July, a helicopter pilot flying over arctic Russia’s Yamal Peninsula noticed an odd sight: a roughly 100-foot-wide crater in the permafrost. Images of the crater went viral online, sparking theories of its formation: Was it a meteorite? A missile strike? A botched alien landing?

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