gigantic 80 meters hole that has appeared at Siberia's 'End of The World'

Extraordinary aerial images show a mysterious hole which experts say may be up to 262 feet wide, in the Yamal Peninsula of northern Russia.

'A scientific team has been sent to investigate the hole and is due to arrive at the scene on Wednesday,' The Siberian Times has reported.

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What on earth is it? This enormous hole has appeared in a remote corner of Russia – and scientists are searching for answers

Opening up: The enormous crater could be caused by global warming, with gas exploding below the surface

The cause of the hole's sudden appearance in Yamal – which translates as 'the end of the world' – in the far north of Siberia is not yet known.

There has been web speculation about the crater indicating 'the arrival of a UFO craft'.

But one Russian expert says the cause is more likely to be global warming releasing gases under the surface, which then explode like a champagne cork.

Experts say that the darkening around the inner rim of the crater indicates 'severe burning' which scorched its edges.