China claims it has discovered the world's largest hole and it's in one of the most dangerous places on the planet
On Wednesday, state broadcaster CCTV announced that the newly found "dragon's hole," a 984 foot (300 meter) cavern in the disputed waters of the South China Sea is now the world's largest hole.
With territorial claims by Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines, Taiwan, and China, the South China Sea - rich in natural resources and crisscrossed by shipping routes - is one of the most militarized areas on the planet.
According to Xinhua, the blue hole is called the "eye" by locals, and lies within the disputed Paracel Islands, which is claimed by both China and Taiwan and Vietnam.
Professor Yang Zuosheng of the Ocean University of China, said researchers had used a variety of methods to ascertain the hole's depth.
"(Determining) the depth has to be done through a series of calibrations for example calibrations (based on) tidal water levels, temperature, level of salt, sea water density. But no matter which type of calibration, the depth should be around 300 meters," he said.
Blue holes were formed during previous ice ages.
Chinese scientists will continue to study the marine life within the hole, though due to its depth water beyond a certain level becomes oxygen-free, meaning few creatures are likely to be found in the very lowest reaches, scientists said.