But, scientists at NASA were stunned when their satellites picked it up once again four decades later.
Tech Insider explained on their YouTube channel in 2017: “There’s a giant mysterious hole in Antarctica, scientists aren’t sure how it got there, but this isn’t the first time it’s appeared.
“The hole is a type of polynya, a region of open water surrounded by sea ice.
“But the Weddell polynya is unlike any other, while most polynyas form near the shore, this one is located hundreds of kilometres from the coast.
“Scientists first saw it in 1974, back then , the opening was as large as Oregon, but in 1976, the opening closed-up, seemingly for good.”
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