Turkmenistan’s burning crater

Imagine starting a fire that burns for generations. In Turkmenistan sandy desert a geologist unknowingly did.

Right in the Karakum desert a gigantic crater burns day in and day out . Its glow has lit up the night sky for miles for close to 50 years. The crater, known as “The Gates of Hell”, was set on fire 1971 to prevent methane gas polluting the environment after a drilling rig by accident hit a natural gas cavern. It has been burning ever since. That’s a pretty long time. I’ve included the place on my-to-go- list.

Fine sand cover about 70% of Turkmenistan. With a coastline towards the Caspian Sea Turkmenistan also has beaches to offer.

A quest for OUAW has been to gather sand from every nation. For Turkmenistan, I was happy to get in contact with Gulya an international young woman with professional experiences in several international organizations. She collected the Turkmenistan sand right in the capital Ashgabat, known for its white marble buildings and grandiose monuments honoring national leaders.

Gulya says that when sharing with family and friends about the OUAW sand quest it caused a lot of laughter. Many were surprised to hear that someone could be so interested in sand. She says, ” I tried to explain them to cause, but believe me – rarely people in the world have mentality like yours or mine”.

A few weeks after this sand arrived I Guyla wrote ”You would be surprised to hear this” I got a new request for sand this time from an American scientist studying sand, its composition, structure, etc.

Yep sand is intriguing in so many ways!

Sign up to the SAND FLOW list for news, wear and share ideas, and ways sand connects you.

Related Posts

world map showing political borders

How to Wear the World: (It’s More Literal Than You Think)

People have different ways of wearing the world. For some, it’s a map on a t-shirt, a bracelet from their travels, or a piece of jewelry that captures the essence of a place

But what does it really mean to “wear the world”? People have different ways of wearing the world. For some, it’s a map on a t-shirt, a bracelet from their travels, or a piece of jewelry that captures the essence of a placeIt’s about feeling tied to the stories and memories that make up our lives. Whether it’s the beauty of a distant beach or the grit of a desert, the places we connect with shape who we are.

What if you could literally wear the world, piece by piece? Enter sand.

Egypt sand close up

Microscopic Wonders: Nature’s Hidden Jewelry in Sand

You wear jewelry to shine, to say something about who you are. It’s your story, worn on your body.

Ever looked at sand through a microscope? I did, and it blew my mind. What looks like plain grains on a beach or by the side of the road transform into nature’s masterpieces under magnification. Not one the other alike.

$99,900 for a jar of sand?!

Retirement Sand vs Sand from Every Nation Step right up, folks, the ‘Retirement Sand’ bidding war is heating up on eBay!  One glass jar of