English 
Spanish 
5 min read
0 comments
Massive methane craters are exploding and destroying Siberia; scientists finally understand the cause
In the icy vastness of the Siberian tundra, a terrifying mystery began to emerge: giant craters exploding from the ground itself. Since 2014, more than twenty such formations have been findings, each hundreds of meters wide, creating deep, dark chasms in the Russian Arctic permafrost.
For many, the craters are the work of science fiction or perhaps even extraterrestrial forces. But now, scientists are beginning to understand the real reasons behind these explosions — and the answer may lie in global warming.
The first crater was discovered on the Yamal Peninsula in 2014, sparking curiosity and many theories. From meteors to the real, every possibility has been considered. However, one plausible answer seems to lie in the earth’s own entrances: climate change interacting with the unique Siberian geology.
- More than 160 countries call on the UN to sign a treaty to ban “killer robots” and curb technological advances
- Elon Musk, watch out! European companies team up to “compete” with billionaire’s Starlink giant
- Elon Musk's new startup xAI, with its supercomputer Colossus, has reached a stratospheric valuation: it is already worth more than Ford without even having sold a single product
- Why don't 300-ton planes have parachutes? Understand the 3 reasons that make this impossible
A study recently published in Geophysical Research Letters suggests that rising temperatures are causing the explosive release of methane from deep within the frozen ground. This aspect is not just a geological investigation, but an alarming example of the consequences of climate change in remote and icy areas of the planet.
Methane Hydrates and the Siberian Underground Explosion
To understand what’s going on, we need to understand methane hydrates. Imagine solidified methane trapped in ice. These formations result in high-pressure, low-temperature conditions, just like Siberian permafrost. However, soil warming, even if only subtly, is destabilizing these hydrates.
Ana Morgado, a chemical engineer at the University of Cambridge, describes the situation as a “perfect combination” of factors, where permafrost, methane hydrates and a unique layer of salty, liquid water, called “cryopeg”, form a recipe for an explosive event.
As the temperature rises, the upper layers of permafrost melt and the water flows into the cryopeg — a layer of saline, liquid water that lies beneath the frozen ground. This seepage creates increasing pressure underground, enough to crack the upper layers of the earth.
When these cracks reach the surface, the pressure drops significantly, destabilizing the methane. And that's when the explosion occurs, releasing the gas violently and creating the craters that today intrigue scientists.
The global impact of small local explosions
These explosions not only affect the landscape and the safety of local residents, but also have a global impact. Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases, capable of trapping heat up to 80 times more than carbon dioxide in short periods.
While the craters may seem insignificant compared to the global scale, they are reminders of how rapidly the Arctic is changing. Lauren Schurmeier, a geophysicist at the University of Hawaii, notes that these craters often appear shortly after particularly warm summers. “They are a scary sign that the Arctic is changing,” she says.
While most scientists agree that climate change is a factor, some voices are raising doubts. Evgeny Chuvilin, a scientist at the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology in Moscow, questions whether the process is so straightforward.
He suggests that the methane could accumulate in cavities closer to the surface before falling, rather than being the result of deep interactions with the cryopeg. Still, most researchers emphasize that climate change weakens permafrost, making it more vulnerable to gas releases.
The future of the Arctic and climate science
The appearance of the craters is worrying for several reasons. First, such explosions are dangerous for people and infrastructure in the affected areas. Institutions such as the Oil and Gas Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences are already monitoring mounds near villages, receiving reports that new explosions may occur.
The second point is that they are a warning about the impact of human activity on the planet. As Morgado said, the speed at which these changes occur is impressive. We are not talking about millennia, but decades.
For researchers, predicting future explosions is both a challenge and a necessity. Understanding exactly how and where these craters form could help save lives and protect critical Arctic infrastructure. It’s also an opportunity to raise awareness around the world about the importance of taking action to address climate change.
Reflection and conclusion
Thinking about Siberian craters as a consequence of climate change helps us see the global impact of our local actions. We often associate global warming with appearances like hurricanes, droughts, and rising sea levels, but melting permafrost and releasing methane show us that it also takes forms we don’t see—until a chasm opens up in the tundra.
The craters are a grim reminder of how interconnected the planet is. What happens in a remote corner of Siberia could eventually affect the global climate and, with it, the lives of all of us. The melting Arctic is more than an isolated problem.
It is a warning that time is passing and that, if we want to protect our future, we need to understand and act on these signs, before other, even more drastic manifestations manifest themselves.
Be the first to react!