The crack at the edge of the world: Strange phenomena captured on video

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The Crack at the Edge of the World
The Crack at the Edge of the World


Here's something you don't see every day: a long jagged crack appearing to split the ocean in two.

That's what it looks like - but in fact, it's an icy lake in one of the remotest places on earth.

Alexey Trofimov, a professional photographer from Siberia, took these pictures in February 2015 on Lake Baikal in Russia, the world's largest freshwater lake, and considered by many to be the deepest, oldest and clearest lake in the world. But it's also a wild and remote place and one that can be extremely dangerous.

See also: PHOTOS: Weird natural phenomena around the world

The ice on Lake Baikal is pierced with a billion cracks, caused by the wind and the huge swings in temperature, as well as changes in atmospheric pressure. All of these combine to make the ice crack and shift, and, if you stand on Baikal ice, you can hear the sounds of the cracking: Trofimov says it sounds like gunfire.

See also: Mysterious hole appears in Siberia's end of the world

Trofimov hired a team of experts to help him navigate the lake and reduce the risks, although for him, the risk is half the thrill. It's the wildness and remoteness that has attracted.

"My attention was drawn by the spirit of freedom of these places. When you are here, you see how our planet is wonderful," he says.

See also: Photos: The world's strangest places


SEE MORE PHOTOS OF LAKE BAIKAL HERE



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