Australia has a 6,000-year-old underground fire that nobody can stop — and scientists say it could burn for another 100,000 years

Scientists have discovered a 6,000-year-old underground fire beneath Mount Wingen in New South Wales, Australia, that pumps carbon dioxide and toxic fumes into the atmosphere. This unstoppable fire burns through a coal seam 30 meters underground and releases 40 tons of mercury and three percent of the world's annual carbon dioxide emissions. While humans worry about climate change and carbon emissions from human activities, these ancient fires contribute to environmental degradation in a way that is beyond human control.

The fire, known as Burning Mountain, has been burning for thousands of years. Tourists visiting the site witness a landscape that seems borrowed from another planet, with heat radiating from the ground, sulfur in the air, and a dead zone where nothing grows. As scientists study the fire's origins and potential impact, they realize that these underground fires represent a significant environmental challenge that will persist for generations, regardless of human intervention.