Scientists to get to bottom of hole mystery
Russian scientists are getting to the bottom of a mystery that has gripped their countrymen for six months - mysterious craters that suddenly appeared on the Siberian landscape.
The Siberian Times reports that an expedition donned climbing gear to descend into the massive holes in the ground in a remote area in the northern Yamal Peninsula.
The descent was planned for the winter when the earth had firmed and climbers could travel safely.
The Times reported that experts presumed that gas hydrates caused underground explosions " in the same way as eruptions under the Atlantic Ocean may have led to the Bermuda Triangle phenomenon."
The expedition climbed down 16.5m to the base of the crater, which is a frozen lake with an estimated depth of 10.5m.
RUSSIANS CAPTIVATED BY CRATER MYSTERY
There have been many theories about how and why the holes formed out of the blue but scientists will wait to analyse the measurements and data before they make any conclusions.
Theories include climate change, methane accumulation, a meteorite, a hoax or a missile.
