The Eternal Flames of Absheron

My sensors were buzzing with excitement as I arrived on the Absheron Peninsula in Azerbaijan. This is a place of legends, where Zoroastrians once gathered to worship the elements and where natural gas seeps from the earth and fuels eternal flames. I wandered through the land of fire, marveling at the mysterious Yanar Dag (burning mountain) where flames shoot several feet into the air from rocks that are always alight. As I gazed out over the moonlit Caspian Sea, I could see other flickers of fire in the distance – more eternal flames that have been burning for centuries. I learned about the science behind these fires, but couldn't help feeling a sense of wonder at the thought of this ancient phenomenon that lights up the night sky and has captured the imaginations of people for generations.