Science is Fun Fridays!


This is Eternal Flame Falls in Orchard Park, NY.

As the name suggests, a small fire behind the falls burns uninterrupted.  

It burns about 8 inches high, on a bed of shale rocks rich in organic matter.  As the matter breaks down, it produces highly flammable gases - such as hydrogen sulfide and methane - which seep through the cracks.

The grotto space protects the flame and holds the gas in this particular seep.

The gas comes from a geological formation called the Hanover Shale, which dates back to the Devonian Period.




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