Russian scientists are baffled at the origins of a massive crater that suddenly appeared in a wasteland of Siberia called by locals as "Yamal," which literally means "End of the World."

Scientists described the crater as being 80 meters wide. They said it's so deep it has yet to be measured.

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Some scientists speculate the crater's dramatic appearance hints it might be a sinkhole. Another reasonable explanation is that the dark color of the crater's sides could indicate a massive underground explosion.

A media report said some scientists believe the blackening of the crater seems to point to a "temperature process" such as burning.

The Yamal Peninsula that juts into the Arctic Ocean has some of Russia's largest gas reserves. The crater appeared less than 20 miles from the biggest gas field, Bovanenkovo. 

Some believe the crater to be the result of a meteorite striking Earth but this seems improbable given there was no sighting of a large meteorite burning up that could have caused a crater this large. The Russian Emergencies Ministry ruled out a meteorite but said it was too early to say what caused the crater.

Also improbable is the claim the crater was caused by a crashed UFO or Unidentified Flying Object.

Russian media said scientists are en route to Yamal to investigate the crater, which has astonished scientists with its dramatic appearance.

The frozen Yamal Peninsula in the far north of Russia in Siberia has an area of 700 kilometers and consists mostly of permafrost ground. Geologists estimate Yamal is less than 10,000 years old, making Yamal a very geologically young area.

Yamal in the language of the indigenous inhabitants, the Nenets, translates as "End of the World."

TagsSiberia crater, 'End of the World' crater