The Darvaza gas crater — also known as the Gates of Hell — is a burning natural gas field collapsed into a cavern near Darvaza, Turkmenistan. It was originally thought to be a substantial oil field site, but soon after engineers set up a drilling rig in 1971, they found a natural gas pocket. The ground beneath the drilling rig collapsed into a wider crater and the rig was buried. Fortunately, there were no casualties. Expecting dangerous releases of poisonous gases from the cavern into nearby towns, the engineers decided to burn the gas off. They estimated that it would take a few weeks, but it’s been burning for more than 50 years now. However, in January, the leader of Turkmenistan, President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, announced that he was asking officials to find a way to extinguish it. It’s not only using up natural resources, but a giant burning greater isn’t great for air quality either.
