Turkmenistan’s ‘Door to Hell’: A place that looks like hell on Earth and is burning nonstop for over 50 years

In the middle of Turkmenistan’s Karakum Desert lies something that looks straight out of a nightmare. The Door to Hell which is a massive, burning crater that has been on fire for decades.

Soviet-era drilling reportedly caused it in 1971. They say a gas rig collapsed, and to stop poisonous gas from spreading, they set it alight. As reported by BBC, Adventurer George Kourounis is said to be the first person to actually descend into this pit. A 30-metre deep inferno. He calls it intimidating. The orange glow from the flames makes everything look almost Martian. Standing at the edge, it seems impossible to imagine life existing down there. Yet, Kourounis and his team found tiny extremophile bacteria in the soil. Alien life, right here on Earth, apparently.

Inside Turkmenistan’s burning crater: Flames, heat, and scientific discoveries

Kourounis says the real headache was getting into Turkmenistan. “It’s one of the most closed countries in the world,” he reportedly said. Two years of paperwork, permits, waiting and eventually, the crew got in around 2013.The crater itself is huge that is about 76 metres wide. Roaring flames day and night.

Thousands of little flames dancing along the edges. Two massive ones in the middle. Probably where the old drilling hole is, the heat alone could melt normal clothes. Kourounis’s aluminium-like heat suit made him feel “a bit like a baked potato,” he joked. The descent required specialised gear. Kevlar harness. Even after all that, standing on the edge was nerve-wracking.

“Intimidating,” he says. Once down, the floor was surprisingly orange.

Surrounded by flames, light bouncing everywhere. Kourounis collected soil samples, trying not to melt. And it seems those samples were worth it. Microbiologist Dr Stefan Green reportedly found bacteria enriched by extreme heat and methane-rich soil.

Life at Turkmenistan’s Door to Hell fire and spiders

The anecdotal reports suggest some species live near the crater’s edge. Camel spiders, sometimes called wind scorpions, reportedly hunt nocturnally, using the crater’s heat to attract prey.

Experts say they can survive in harsh, gas-rich environments. The crater has a kind of alien feel with orange walls and orange ground. A roaring furnace in the middle of a desert. Some say it looks like Mars and others say it’s Hell. For Kourounis, it was unforgettable. It’s not just a daredevil adventure. Studying life in extreme environments could give clues about life on other planets. It might explain how bacteria survive in heat, methane, and low nutrients.

And apparently, after 54 years, the inferno might be starting to die down.

Scientists say the flames are reducing slowly.The Door to Hell is terrifying beautiful but weirdly alive. And it’s finally showing signs of change. For now, though, the fire keeps burning. Kourounis went in. Spiders lurk around. And the desert keeps its secret.