Pingo!

Siberia giant hole(s) just became a lot less mysterious.

Check out this apparently self-contradictory explanation, that is, either something happens often with general features or else it is a theory that just got proved. One or the other, but please, not both.

A pingo often forms when a mass of ice embedded in the earth starts to get pushed towards the surface by rising ground water. Generally, this rising water level is in-turn caused by warming temperatures, especially in the Arctic where permafrost in the ground is beginning to melt. Once the ice mass reaches the surface, it can violently rupture from the Earth, creating a ring of disturbed soil that resembles a crater. When the mass finally melts, all that remains is a damp and very deep hole. 

This theory was all but confirmed by experts this week after investigating the hole for themselves.

Anyway. That inconsistency of certainty to theory aside, this is what they are talking about.

What, no anthropomorphic climate change? Come on, you're slipping. Arctic permafrost not being permanent. You're passing on a chance at driving your obsession. Has something changed?

"Such kind of processes were taking place about 8,000 years ago. Perhaps they are repeating nowadays. If this theory is confirmed, we can say that we have witnessed a unique natural process that formed the unusual landscape of Yamal peninsula," 

Certainty then theory again, but wow, I'm impressed with the restraint. And in comments too. There is glimmer of hope for scientific method of observation, theory, testing, and reproduction and verification prevailing over ideologic belief after all. 

Naaaaah.

Nature World News for a refreshing clean description.