Russian scientists believe a giant crater which appeared in far northern Siberia was caused by rising temperatures in the area - not a meteorite.

Andrei Plekhanov, a senior researcher at the Scientific Research Center of the Arctic, said the mysterious hole which appeared in the gas-rich area earlier this week was most likely the result of a 'build-up of excessive pressure' underground, due to the region's changing temperatures.

On Wednesday, Mr Plekhanov traveled to the 262ft wide crater, in the Yamal Peninsula of northern Russia, to study how the crater was formed.

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