The Kumani Bank mud volcano in the Caspian Sea created an island in early 2023 that had almost disappeared by the end of 2024, according to Landsate satellite imagery.

Azerbaijan is home to more than 300 mud volcanoes, both on land and offshore in the Caspian Sea, NASA's Earth Observatory stated.

A mysterious island appeared in the Caspian Sea in 2023 due to a mud volcano eruption and vanished by the following year, fascinating scientists with its transient nature. Satellite images tracked its fleeting existence,

A mud volcano eruption in the Caspian Sea created a temporary ’ghost island’ in early 2023, only for it to erode away by the end of 2024. NASA’s Earth Observatory tracked its brief appearance using satellite images,

NASA scientists have been left baffled by satellite pictures showing a “ghost” island appearing – and then mysteriously vanishing. The “weird” sandy protrusion emerged in the

A rare 'ghost island' appeared and quickly disappeared in the Caspian Sea after the eruption of Kumani Bank mud volcano off Azerbaijan's coast. NASA satellites captured the event, showing the formation and erosion cycle from early 2023 to late 2024.

A island formed by the Kumani Bank mud volcano in the Caspian Sea stretched nearly 400 meters across in early 2023. Within a year, it was one-quarter the size.

In 1863, a Russian paleontologist and mining engineer made his way through the Eocene strata of the Caucasus to the shores of the Caspian Sea. His name was Hermann Vil’gel’movich Abikh, and he had heard tell of ghost islands and strange fireballs over the water.

Not much is understood about mud volcanoes, but their violent eruptions cause tiny islands to form and disappear within months.