The Darvaza gas crater in Turkmenistan has burned non-stop for over five decades—but no one knows exactly how it started.

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. The Earth is dotted with numerous “gateways to Hell.” In the ...

Rarely does an industrial accident develop into a major tourist attraction. But when a Soviet exploratory team drilled for natural gas in Turkmenistan more than 50 years ago, they are said to have set ...

Recent visitors to Turkmenistan’s Darvaza gas crater have been left cold by the landmark’s feeble flames amid government efforts to suppress the blaze. Now Turkmenistan has announced a technical plan ...

There are no written Soviet records, no logs, no official drilling reports, and no confirmation that they'd lit it intentionally – but there's no disputing a ~100-foot-deep (~30-m), 226-foot-wide ...

Deep in the scorching desert of Turkmenistan, the Darvaza gas crater—infamously known as the “Gate to Hell”—has been ablaze for over 50 years. This massive fiery pit, which once roared with a ...

The site in Turkmenistan burns through millions of cubic meters of natural gas each year. The exact cause behind the Darvaza Gas Crater—also known as the Shining of Karakum—remains a mystery, but ...