When you think of the burning gates of hell this bizarre landmark probably doesn’t fall far short of your imagination.

       The Darvaza gas crater in Turkmenistan is nicknamed the Door to Hell and it’s been burning for decades.

       It was created by a natural gas exploration accident in the Soviet era - and experts are still confused about what to actually do about it.

       It is a fiery pit located in the heart of the Karakum desert in Turkmenistan and was created when Soviet engineers were drilling for natural gas.

       This drilling is believed to have caused the ground to collapse, forming the huge crater.

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       And to prevent noxious gases spilling out into the atmosphere they set fire to the methane gas released.

       That started a fire that’s burned ever since.

       The unusual landmark captivates tourists from around the world and it is reminiscent of ancient myths and legends.

       But it’s also of serious scientific interest as it raises questions about its environmental impact - and scientists can’t agree whether it’s now best to leave it alone or to try and extinguish it.

       It constantly emits methane which is a potent greenhouse gas - but the burning of it converts much of the methane into carbon dioxide and water vapour.

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       In 2013 explorer George Kourounis went into the crater to take samples and measure its composition.

       Attempts to extinguish the fire must consider the risks of further methane release as there is a danger of explosions or of the gas finding new escape routes to the surface.

       William Rein, a fire scientist at Imperial College London, warned in National Geographic against extinguishing the fire as "it can go wrong".

       He also said that while the methane leak represents a problem the fact burning is favourable from an environmental perspective as combustion transforms it into carbon dioxide and water vapour. Both carbon dioxide and water vapour have a much smaller impact on global warming.

       Mark Ireland, an energy geoscientist at Newcastle University, also warned against putting out the flames in National Geographic.

       He expressed caution about "just putting a lid on" the crater to extinguish the fire saying the methane would simply find other routes to the surface.