Harrat Khaybar is likened to the “gates of hell” for a reason. The volcanic field, one of the largest in Saudi Arabia, stretches some 14,000 square km across the desert landscape, to the northeast of ...

This essay is part of a special section, Dispatches from the Forever Wars, in our Spring 2026 issue. It is spring in Palestine, and Eid al-Fitr has just passed. It’s customary to buy new clothes for ...

Israel’s defense minister warned Friday that the “gates of hell” will soon open up to destroy Gaza City if Hamas doesn’t agree to Israel’s terms for a cease-fire. The ominous threat came a day after ...

On the last day of February, I went to Half Moon Bay with a dear friend to catch the sunset on a cloudy evening. The sun was hiding behind a myriad of clouds, with its orange light beams trying to ...

Tom has a Master's degree in Journalism. His editorial work covers anything from archaeology and the environment to technology and culture. Tom has a Master's degree in Journalism. His editorial work ...

It might be the world’s most baffling tourist attraction: a roaring pit of fire the size of a soccer field sitting in a barren desert. The Darvaza crater, known as the “Gates to Hell,” lies deep in ...

The idea of visiting hell—or at least the gateway to hell—might not appeal to everybody, but for the devilishly-curious there are a number of places across the planet that are supposedly entrances to ...