'Gates to Hell' Not Looking So Fearsome

One of the planet's strangest tourist stops is losing some of its fire—literally. The Darvaza gas crater in Turkmenistan, better known as the "Gates to Hell," is burning less intensely than it has in decades, reports Jenny Gross for the New York Times. New infrared data analyzed by Capterio, a firm that tracks gas flares, shows the blaze's heat has fallen by more than 75% in three years. The Turkmen government has long said it wants the flames out on environmental and health grounds and credits nearby gas wells drilled in 2024. But Capterio's data suggests the dimming began earlier, making the cause murkier.

The natural gas deposit has been leaking methane at a substantial clip—about 1,300 kilograms an hour on average from 2022 to 2025, per nonprofit Carbon Mapper. But the nonprofit observed a spike to 1,960 kilograms in late 2025. The fire, supposedly first set in the 1960s or '70s, reduces methane's climate punch by converting it to less-potent carbon dioxide, meaning smaller flames aren't an automatic win for the planet. The Times digs into the disputed origin story, the emissions math, and what happens if the "Gates to Hell" ever truly close. For the full story, read the piece at the Times.