A mysterious image of a dark spot resembling a black hole in the center of the Pacific Ocean has appeared online. The satellite image quickly spread on the Internet, giving rise to many theories and speculations.

Some users speculated that it was a giant sinkhole, a hidden military facility or even something supernatural. However, the clue turned out to be much simpler.

A dark spot on the map appeared as the small island of Vostok, which belongs to the Republic of Kiribati. It is one of the numerous coral atolls, such archipelagos, lost in the South Pacific Ocean. Its area is only 0.25 km², and the nearest mainland is thousands of kilometers away.

The peculiarity of the East is that it is completely covered with dense forest. Pisonia trees grow there, creating an impenetrable green carpet. Their crowns are so dense that almost no light passes through. That is why from space the island looks like a dark spot.

When the picture appeared on the Internet, it sparked a lot of discussion. Many people thought that there was an object hidden in the image. Versions ranged from alien bases to natural anomalies. Soon scientists explained the nature of this phenomenon. The fact is that the leaves of pisonia are very dark, and their density makes the island almost invisible from space.

Vostok Island remains uninhabited. There are no fresh water sources there, and the dense vegetation makes it difficult to move around. However, this dot on the map has become an important place for birds. The branches of the trees are home to many birds, including frigates, puffins and other marine species.

Pisonia is spread by migrants. Its seeds cling to their feathers and they carry the future sprouts to other islands. Sometimes the seed pods are so sticky that the birds are unable to free themselves and die. Bones left by trapped individuals can be found under trees.

Vostok was discovered in 1820 by Russian explorers. Until then, the island had no signs of settlement, and no one has lived there permanently since then. Its pristine nature still remains virtually untouched, and dense forest hides the island from prying eyes, even when viewed from the heights of satellites.

Russian explorer Thaddeus Bellingshausen discovered the island in 1820 on his ship Vostok, after whom the area was named. The place is known for its ice cover and unique ecosystems, as well as for the fact that one of the largest subglacial lakes in the world - also Vostok - lies beneath it.