Episode Details

In 2011, archaeologists rediscovered an ancient "gate to hell" in the city of Hierapolis, Turkey. This stone doorway leads to a small cave-like grotto and was once thought to be an entrance to the underworld. The gate, also called the Plutonium, sits above a fissure that releases deadly volcanic carbon dioxide (CO2). Visitors to the site in ancient times would see a visible mist of this gas rising from the ground. Even today, the area is dangerous—birds that fly too close to the gate suffocate from the toxic fumes. The city of Hierapolis is just one of many places on Earth where you aren't welcome, but can still check them out in our video.

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