SCP-3163 is a hollow cinnabarite sphere roughly 176 meters in diameter, found approximately 53 meters below the surface of a cenote located 80 km south of Cobán, Guatemala. The waters above SCP-3163 are largely sterile, likely due to the presence of high levels of sulfur and mercury compounds created during the gradual erosion of the upper layers of SCP-3163, as well as the high temperatures of the poolFOOTootnote]] There is one notable organism found in the cenote, a species of extremophilic bacterium not currently known to exist anywhere else on earth, tentatively named Fundabacter mictlan.[[/footnote]].
The cinnabarite composing SCP-3163 possesses anomalous thermogenic properties, and maintains a constant surface temperature of 107 degrees Celsius. The walls of SCP-3163 are 750 centimeters thick on average, and the hollow interior maintains an average temperature of 520 degrees Celsius. Mineral samples removed from the structure apparently lose any anomalous properties.
Due to difficulties arising from extreme temperatures and the possibility of collapse and contamination, access to the interior of SCP-3163 has been limited. Initial ground-penetrating radar scans after the structure's discovery in 1979 first indicated that the structure was hollow, but Foundation personnel were not able to obtain a visual until May of 2003, when a microdrill was used to bore a small hole into the surface of the structure to allow a small camera to enter. Any water that leaked through the opening was almost immediately vaporized by internal temperatures. The internal atmosphere of SCP-3163 is compositionally similar to that of earth with the exception of the presence of several sulfurous compounds.
The interior of SCP-3163 is largely bare, aside from a rectangular pedestal and the bottom of the structure, roughly 1 meter tall, 0.5 meters wide, and 1 meter long. The space is illuminated only by the passive heat-glow of the walls of the cavern, and the low-light conditions have made exploration of further detail impossible.
Lying on the pedestal is a humanoid form, hereafter referred to as Entity-3163. Entity-3163 closely resembles a pale, extremely emaciated arrhiniac humanoid male. Originally believed to be dead, Entity-3163 has since been observed breathing very slightly and occasionally shifting position. On-site personnel are currently working on methods to obtain tissue samples from the entity.
Based on erosion and geological stratal data, it is currently estimated that SCP-3163 has been present in its current location for between 3000 and 5000 years, though its origins remain unknown.
Addendum-3163-1: Over the course of several days in November 2012, a series of earthquakes expanded a web of microfractures created by microdrilling, ultimately culminating in the collapse of the ceiling of SCP-3163, allowing a large volume of water to rush into the interior of the sphere. This resulted in the vaporization of tons of water, and a subsequent steam explosion that killed two personnel. The thermal shock resulting from large volumes of water contacting the internal surface of the SCP-3163 caused the entire structure to shatter.
Several hours after this event, when the cenote waters had cooled sufficiently to allow a recovery dive, approximately 200 kg of cinnabarite were removed, as well as the body of Entity-3163, who appeared to have drowned. Samples have been moved to Site-63 pending further study, and SCP-3163 has been given Neutralized classification.
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