Geologists and other scientists are working to solve the mysterious appearance of holes in the sands of Mount Baldy at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.
Erin Argyilan, one of the experts studying the site from Indiana University Northwest, has searched the sandy terrains for clues that may explain the sudden appearance of the holes for months. The holes measure about a foot across, and seem to stay inside the dunes before they are refilled with sand. Every year, tourists flock to Mount Baldy to see these mysterious voids. Researchers led by Argyilan used specialized GPS devices as well as ground-penetrating radar to explain how the holes come to be during the study, but one clear answer hasn't emerged just yet.
But this year, tourists won't get the chance to see the famous holes because the National Park Service has announced that the north side of the park will be closed indefinitely. This is due to two new holes that appeared recently, along with some other depressions in this particular area of the park. The rest of the park, which is unaffected, will remain open to the public.
Argyilan said she was emotionally invested in this research, as she witnessed the hole swallow a six-year-old boy in July 2013. The parents told her that a hole appeared in the dunes and swallowed their son. At first, she thought that they were hallucinating, for there were no holes previously observed in the dunes.
"I cried for three days," Argyilan shared to The Washington Post. "I couldn't help in the moment. So now I have to do what I can to learn why this is happening."
In August that same year, a second hole was seen - one that measured about 10 inches in diameter.
One theory formulated by experts posited that decaying trees buried under the sand might have created the holes. Another theory is the human activity within the park, which can contribute to the erosion of the dunes.
