The Mystery of Holes

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Marine scientists recently discovered a series of mysterious, evenly-spaced holes deep in the ocean that have befuddled many about their origins, Newsweek reported.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said the holes were located more than 8,000 feet below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean.

They appeared evenly spaced in a straight line and are surrounded by small piles of sediment, which suggests they were excavated.

When images of the holes were shown on social media, netizens proposed a variety of theories ranging from escaping gases to aliens.

Meanwhile, NOAA researcher Mike Vecchione and his team are planning to study environmental DNA – such as fish scales and mucus – to determine the culprit of these strange formations.

Vecchione said he previously came across similar holes during a 6,800-foot dive along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in 2004. He suspects that an animal is responsible for the holes but he can’t determine their exact purpose.

“There are a lot of other suggestions…right now we don’t have a lot of information to rule any of them out,” he said.

Still, the plot thickens: Geologist Bill Chadwick remarked that other weird underwater holes with a hexagonal pattern have also been spotted in fossils around the world.

“It’s a bit of a head-scratcher though,” Chadwick said.