Decoding the mystery of the 2,500-year-old Burning Stone in Türkiye

Fires in the Turkish valley have been burning continuously for at least 2,500 years, caused by the impact of a rare metal.

The mysterious eternal fire has been burning for 2,500 years

Yanartas It is an area near the Olympus Valley, in southwestern Turkey, known for its fires throughout the year. In Turkish, Yanartas means “burning stone”.

It is said that these flames were the inspiration of the poet Homer when creating the character of the fire-breathing monster, Chimera, in the Iliad. A Greek god called Bellerophon He buried the monster Chimeara underground. And many indigenous people believe that this is the burial place of the Chimeara and these flames are its breath.

In fact, the fire coming from these rock cavities is the result of methane gas leaking from the lower strata through the openings . The source of methane gas in Yanartas is believed to have formed from temperatures higher than the conditions in this area. No one knows what ignited these gases, but these fires have been burning continuously for more than 2,500 years.

Fires burn in Yanartas at night. (Photo: Wikipedia)

Recent research by Giuseppe Etiope, a scientist at the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Rome, Italy, and colleagues at Bolyai University, Romania, may have found the answer. The team of experts believes that ruthenium a rare metal found in igneous rocks in this area, could act as a catalyst. In the laboratory, ruthenium favors the formation of methane gas at temperatures below 100 degrees Celsius, equivalent to the Yanartas temperature.

“The above results show that methane gas formation may occur at lower temperatures than commonly thought “, said Michael Whiticar, an expert at Victoria University in Canada, quoted by New Scientist.

According to Etiope, a significant amount of this type of methane may still exist in the world, opening up the possibility of finding new supplies of natural gas.

For hundreds of years, sailors floating at sea could see these flames and use them as signs to determine direction. Today, backpackers use these fires to cook water and make tea.

• Admire the most beautiful eternal flame in the world.