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Ggeologist Vadim Kolpakov set off on an expedition in 1949  to Siberia, leading to the discovery of  the Patomskiy crater. Kolpakov went  deep into almost uncharted territory, the local Yakut people warned him not to go on, explaining that there was an evil place. It was called the “Fire Eagle Nest” and claimed that people would start to feel unwell near it—and some would simply disappear without a trace.

Kolpakov being a scientist was challenged by these stories. He discovered a giant crater, the size of “a 25-story building,” reared up out of the trees. Up close it resembled a volcano mouth, but there had been no volcanoes in the area for at least a few million years. Kolpakov estimated it as around 250 years old, a figure supported by later studies of nearby tree growth. Interestingly, the trees also seemed to have undergone a period of accelerated growth similar to that seen in the forests around Chernobyl.

Kolpakov, and other people have suggested that it might have been formed by a meteorite, although the crater does not resemble any other known meteorite site. Others are convinced that it was indeed a volcano. Many even think that there is a UFO hidden underneath the crater. 

In 2005, an expedition was launched in the hopes of finding some answers—but then tragedy struck. The leader of the expedition died of a heart attack just a few kilometers away from the site. The locals were convinced it was the “evil” crater that led to his death.