Video - Crater burning since 1971

This is a crater in the desert which has been burning since 1971. It's like something out of a movie or Lord of the Rings.

From the Wikipedia article:

Darvaza underground is naturally rich in natural gas. In 1971, during a drilling, geologists accidentally found an underground cavern filled with natural gas. The ground on which the drilling rig was placed collapsed, leaving a large gaping hole exposed with a diameter of about 50-100 meters. To avoid poisonous gases coming out of the hole, it was decided to let the gases burn. As of 2008, gases in the underground cavern are still burning without interruption.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3-XCs_ZMZE&feature=related]