An infamous fire that’s been burning in a Turkmenistan desert since 1971, dubbed the “Gateway to Hell,” is finally losing steam. Or, more accurately, losing methane that has fueled it for over 50 years.

The fire started when Soviet scientists accidentally drilled into a natural gas pocket in the Karakum Desert. Their solution to the potentially deadly methane leak was to light it on fire, assuming it would burn out in a few days. It’s been 54 years.

Since then, the fire has spewed massive amounts of methane, one of the planet’s most potent greenhouse gases. It’s also no surprise that an eternally burning fire eventually became Turkmenistan’s most popular tourist attraction.

Turkmenistan has, over the years, developed a reputation for being one of the world’s leaders in methane gas leaks

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