Jul 29, 2014 03:50 PM EDT By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

About two weeks after a large and mysterious hole appeared in Siberia's Yamal province, two more just like it cropped up.

According to the Siberia Times, there are now three giant holes in the area and officials have not offered a reason for why they are there. The most popular theory is that an underground gas field experienced an explosion and created the massive holes that seem like they drop forever.

Other theories that have been floated included meteorites, stray missiles, a man-made prank and, of course, aliens.

CLICK HERE to see more photos of the holes.

"I flew by helicopter to inspect this funnel on Saturday 19 July," Mikhail Lapsui, deputy of the regional parliament, told the Siberia Times. "Its diameter is about 15 meters. There is also ground outside, as if it was thrown as a result of an underground explosion.

"According to local residents, the hole formed on 27 September 2013. Observers give several versions. According to the first, initially at the place was smoking, and then there was a bright flash. In the second version, a celestial body fell there."

The first two holes appeared in the Yamal, which translates to "the end of the world," peninsula. The third lies just east of Yamal and it is estimated to be about four meters wide and 60 to 100 meters deep. The most astounding aspect of the hole, discovered by a group of herders, is that is appears a perfectly formed cone.

"I have heard about the second funnel on Yamal, in Taz district, and saw the pictures," Marina Leibman, chief scientist of the Earth Cryosphere Institute, told URA.RU. "Undoubtedly, we need to study all such formations. It is necessary to be able to predict their occurrence. Each new funnel provides additional information for scientists."

The second hole is about 15 meters in diameter and only lies some hundreds of kilometers from where the first one showed up. Another fascinating aspect of these holes is the first one apparently has an icy lake at its bottom.

Scientists will continue to search for how these three holes appeared.

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