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NASA has helped shed light on a mysterious series of formation located in the wilds of Kazakhstan.

The images show a series of intricate geometric formations made of rock and soil whose origins are not yet known, according to The New York Times. The formations are estimated to be around 8,000 years old and are only recognizable from above.

There are at least 260 earthworks in the area. One is a series of more than 100 mounds arranged in a square and connected by a giant x that intersects the square. The age and intricacy of the earthworks is challenging scientists understanding of early humans.

Scientists have long thought that humans at the time of the formations' construction lived in purely small, nomadic groups. The size and intense effort needed to create these earthworks suggests that these groups were much larger and more organized than previously thought.

The phenomenon was discovered in just 2007 by an amateur archaeologist and trained economist named Dmitry Dey.

NASA's decision to release photos of the site to the public suggest that high-ranking scientific officials are taking a keener interest in the formations, which have long been the focus of a smaller, but dedicated group of researchers.

NASA has also ordered the International Space Station crew to focus their cameras on the site as part of their photography mission for this week.

While NASA is working to try and unravel the mystery, Kazakhstan's space agency and scientific community have been less than enthusiastic. The Kazakh space agency has not handed over any photos of the site they may have, and the Kazakh government so far not taken any steps to get the site listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Dey, the man who originally discovered the formations, theorizes that their purpose was like an observatory and used to track the horizontal movement of the sun as it rises.