'Door to Hell' in Turkmenistan

A fiery crater near Derweze village in Turkmenistan has baffled scientists for more than 40 years. The crater is 230 feet wide and is called "The Door to Hell" by locals, with its ever-burning flames and boiling mud inside. Originally a level surface, the site was identified by Soviet scientists in 1971 as an area believed to house a substantial oil field. A camp and drilling rig were set up nearby, and, after the Soviets were pleased with the amount of gas resources believed to be at the site, it was agreed that gas from the field would be stored. [Photo/icpress.cn]