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The deepest manmade hole in the world

In the 1970s and 1980s, scientists in Kola, in Russia, managed to dig a hole that was more than 12,000 metres deep.

In the 1970s and 1980s, scientists in Russia, managed to dig a hole more than 12,000 metres deep.

It was called the Kola Superdeep Borehole.

They wanted achieve a world record and learn more about the Earth's crust.

Rachel Naylor speaks to Prof David Smythe, a geophysicist who worked there for four months.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

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(Photo: The site of the Kola Superdeep Borehole in the 1990s. Credit: David Smythe)

Release date:

9 minutes

On radio

Thu 28 Nov 2024 08:50GMT

Broadcasts

  • Thu 28 Nov 2024 08:50GMT
  • Thu 28 Nov 2024 12:50GMT
  • Thu 28 Nov 2024 18:50GMT
  • Thu 28 Nov 2024 23:50GMT
  • Fri 29 Nov 2024 03:50GMT

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