A Mystery Crater in Siberia Has People Freaking Out

When a massive hole measuring 262 feet in diameter just appears in the ground as it did this week in rural Siberia, people get concerned. Is it the end of times?! Proof that asteroids are finally wreaking havoc on Earth? An alien crash landing? Site of an underground gas explosion? Monstrous lair? Ewoks?

The video shown here was taken above the mystery crater in a part of Siberia, Russia, called the Yamal Peninsula. The Sydney Morning Herald reports Yamal Peninsula translates to "end of times" — coincidence? And while the Internet has its own theories as to how this sinkhole came into existence, scientists believe it's likely just a melted ice formation, something called a "pingo," a block of ice that grows into a hill in arctic ground. As the ice melts, it could move the ground enough to make a hole, the extreme version of which being what you see here.

As the effects of climate change are seen around the world, extraordinary natural sightings like this could continue. That's if, in fact, this video isn't just one more of the web's most fascinating hoaxes.