Awesome Nature #19

The Door to Hell
Type: Geologic Formation Located In: Turkmenistan Conservation Status: N/A

Our precious planet is an incredible place, crammed full of countless natural wonders, but every now and then we manage to create one ourselves by accident, and a great example is the Door to Hell. It can be found in the barren deserts of Turkmenistan and was originally an attempt by the Soviets to drill for oil, but instead of that the drill site collapsed into a crater where they found a large pocket of natural gas. Worried about poisoning some nearby villages they decided to burn it off, expecting the reserves to be spent within a few weeks. This, however, was over 40 years ago and the fiery pit, measuring 230 feet across and 65 feet deep, is still burning continuously to this day. Supposedly there are plans to fill it in though, so if this kind of thing piques your interest, visit it soon, but be careful - the heat also attracts camel spiders which can grow up to six inches long, look rather hellish themselves and can give you a painful bite!

Why It Is Awesome: Greatest name ever!