Turkmenistan’s ‘Door to Hell’ Shows Signs of Closing

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00:00Turkmenistan's Door to Hell shows signs of closing.

00:04In Turkmenistan's Karakum Desert, a fiery pit has burned continuously for more than 50 years.

00:11Created in 1971 from a Soviet drilling error, this intended methane stopper became symbolic.

00:17Now, experts suggest it might be diminishing.

00:23The Darvaza gas crater was formed after a failed Soviet drilling operation in 1971.

00:29Engineers ignited escaping methane, expecting a short burn,

00:33but it became Turkmenistan's enduring Door to Hell.

00:39The crater isn't just hot, it's alive with noise and light.

00:43Flames surge, exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius, resounding across barren land.

00:49Once visible for miles, its glow now dims, hinting closure.

00:54Over time, the blaze has weakened due to redirected methane from nearby gas wells,

01:02cutting the crater's fuel supply.

01:04This change hints that the gates to Hell may finally close.

01:11Terrifying to some, the crater has unexpectedly benefited scientific research.

01:16Explorer Karunis found heat-tolerant microbes in 2013, offering insights into extreme environments

01:23and potentially extraterrestrial life.

01:29Turkmenistan's leaders have long debated closing the crater.

01:33In 2022, President Burdi Muhammadao advocated closure for ecological reasons.

01:38Should this rare site be preserved or shut down?