Challenge to polar doom warning from respected international expert Professor Peter Wadhams of Cambridge University.

The freeze is so deep that horses - and even Rudolph - is brought indoors to warm up.

This summer's melting of permafrost is more than THREE TIMES greater than usual, unlocking long-frozen deadly diseases.

Agafya Lykova, 71, airlifted to hospital after suffering 'acute pains' in intense cold at her forest home more than 100 km from nearest town.

Organisers will soon take entries for the 2012 race - officially known as the 'Crawlers' Competition'.

Oksana and Alexander Urusov were told they needed more papers to fly with dog Tori, so they dumped her outside the terminal.

'Scary' scenes as fumes from burning forests cover Lake Baikal, with people - and bears - fleeing 'Apocalypse'.

More craters expected to form due to such eruptions as permafrost melts - and they ARE caused by global warming releasing methane gas.

Experts still divided over mysterious 1,300-year-old fortress-like structure located on island in middle of lake.