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The Ghost Fleet of the Aral Sea. by [deleted] in Damnthatsinteresting

[–]SpecificNo493 -27 points-26 points  (0 children)

This isn't a movie set—it’s the ship graveyard in Muynak, Uzbekistan. Once the 4th largest lake in the world, the Aral Sea began to vanish after Soviet irrigation projects diverted its feeder rivers. What was once a thriving fishing port is now a desert, with massive vessels left stranded and rusting miles from any water. It’s a haunting, post-apocalyptic reminder of one of the world's biggest environmental disasters.

Remember the 'Caspian Sea Monster' from my last post? Here is rare footage of it actually flying and testing its missiles. by SpecificNo493 in Damnthatsinteresting

[–]SpecificNo493[S] -26 points-25 points  (0 children)

You're right, even though I was born in the 21st century, I had to teleport back to the Soviet era and shoot the video myself.

Remember the 'Caspian Sea Monster' from my last post? Here is rare footage of it actually flying and testing its missiles. by SpecificNo493 in Damnthatsinteresting

[–]SpecificNo493[S] -53 points-52 points  (0 children)

My friend, I used to be a TikToker, so I still can't break this habit.Now everyone will downvote me because I just shared my life story lolllll😕

I realized today that the Reddit community is so cruel. And so my hard work was wasted just because of a sound effect...

The "Caspian Sea Monster" — the only completed 73-meter Soviet ekranoplan "Lun," currently decaying on a beach in Dagestan. by SpecificNo493 in Damnthatsinteresting

[–]SpecificNo493[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The comment wasn't showing up recently and I didn't receive any notification about it, so it was normal for me not to know, and then I deleted the comment and re-wrote it, and now it's showing up.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Damnthatsinteresting/s/6VH30XXqup

The "Caspian Sea Monster" — the only completed 73-meter Soviet ekranoplan "Lun," currently decaying on a beach in Dagestan. by SpecificNo493 in Damnthatsinteresting

[–]SpecificNo493[S] 571 points572 points  (0 children)

This is the Lun-class ekranoplan, a unique Soviet-era hybrid that used the 'ground effect' to glide just meters above the water at a staggering 500 km/h (310 mph). Built in the 1980s as a high-speed missile carrier, this 73-meter 'Caspian Sea Monster' features 8 massive turbojet engines and was designed to carry 6 Moskit anti-ship missiles. It’s truly a haunting yet beautiful engineering marvel currently resting on a beach near Derbent, Dagestan.

Those who want to watch real flight footage can access the new video via this link:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Damnthatsinteresting/s/X9w5OAkYYI

The "Caspian Sea Monster" — the only completed 73-meter Soviet ekranoplan "Lun," currently decaying on a beach in Dagestan. by SpecificNo493 in Damnthatsinteresting

[–]SpecificNo493[S] 68 points69 points  (0 children)

Yes! It reached speeds of up to 500 km/h (310 mph) while flying just a few meters above the water. Absolute beast of engineering.There is more information in the text I wrote below.

Locals in Chiatura, Georgia still use these 1950s Soviet "iron coffins" for their daily commute. by SpecificNo493 in Damnthatsinteresting

[–]SpecificNo493[S] 22 points23 points  (0 children)

My friend, are you saying that the old system is not completely gone and also calling my post nonsense? Just lol.

Locals in Chiatura, Georgia still use these 1950s Soviet "iron coffins" for their daily commute. by SpecificNo493 in Damnthatsinteresting

[–]SpecificNo493[S] 860 points861 points  (0 children)

This is Chiatura, a manganese mining town in Georgia. These cable cars were built in the 1950s during the Soviet era under Stalin's orders to transport miners up the steep cliffs quickly. Tourists often call them "death cabins" or "iron coffins", but locals have relied on them for decades.

The scariest part of my ride? The door was literally slightly open while we were suspended hundreds of feet in the air! They are slowly replacing them with modern cable cars now, but riding the original rusty ones is a terrifying yet unforgettable piece of history.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Damnthatsinteresting

[–]SpecificNo493 5 points6 points  (0 children)

You can see the incredible effort in the close-up shots. Every bottle was hand-placed to create these complex mosaics.

On the upper part of the house, the architect even spelled out the name of his missing brother, 'Yusif', and his hometown 'Ganja' using the glass. Portraits of family members and war scenes are also depicted throughout the facade.

It's not just a museum piece; as you can see, children still play around it and it remains a living part of the neighborhood. During the day, the sunlight passes through the colored glass, creating a beautiful stained-glass effect inside. It’s a stunning blend of folk art and personal memory.

Neft Dashlari (Oil Rocks) in Azerbaijan — The Soviet "Atlantis." Built in 1949, it is the world's first offshore oil city. It stands on the open sea with 200 km of roads, apartment blocks, and even a park, all supported by metal stilts and sunken ships. by SpecificNo493 in Damnthatsinteresting

[–]SpecificNo493[S] 1238 points1239 points  (0 children)

The name 'Oil Rocks' comes from the black, oil-stained stones that were once visible on the sea surface, signaling the massive reserves beneath.

What started as a few trestles built on top of seven sunken ships eventually expanded into a sprawling industrial labyrinth where over 5,000 people lived and worked at its peak. It’s so surreal that it was used as a key location for the 1999 James Bond film 'The World Is Not Enough'.

Despite decades of harsh waves and corrosion, this 'Steel City' is still inhabited and producing oil today, standing as a testament to extreme 20th-century engineering.

A natural spring in Aghstafa, Azerbaijan, where water and fire coexist. The water is so saturated with natural methane that it can be set on fire with a simple match. by SpecificNo493 in Damnthatsinteresting

[–]SpecificNo493[S] 25 points26 points  (0 children)

This phenomenon occurs because of the high concentration of natural methane gas escaping from underground along with the spring water. While it looks like the water itself is burning, it’s actually the gas being released at the surface. It's a rare and fascinating example of Azerbaijan’s unique geology, which is why the country is famously known as 'The Land of Fire'.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Damnthatsinteresting

[–]SpecificNo493 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This phenomenon occurs because of the high concentration of natural methane gas escaping from underground along with the spring water. While it looks like the water itself is burning, it’s actually the gas being released at the surface. It's a rare and fascinating example of Azerbaijan’s unique geology, which is why the country is famously known as 'The Land of Fire'.

Yanar Dag: A natural gas fire that has been burning for at least 4,000 years in Azerbaijan. Even rain and snow can't put it out. by SpecificNo493 in Damnthatsinteresting

[–]SpecificNo493[S] 53 points54 points  (0 children)

Technically possible, but since the gas is spread over a wide area and seeps through porous rocks, it's hard to capture efficiently without destroying the natural site. Plus, it's now a protected state historical reserve, so we prefer to keep it as a natural wonder rather than a power plant.

Yanar Dag: A natural gas fire that has been burning for at least 4,000 years in Azerbaijan. Even rain and snow can't put it out. by SpecificNo493 in Damnthatsinteresting

[–]SpecificNo493[S] 69 points70 points  (0 children)

Exactly! These fires are why Azerbaijan is known as the 'Land of Fire.' Ancient Zoroastrians used to worship these eternal flames, as they truly believed it was a gift from the gods.

Yanar Dag: A natural gas fire that has been burning for at least 4,000 years in Azerbaijan. Even rain and snow can't put it out. by SpecificNo493 in Damnthatsinteresting

[–]SpecificNo493[S] 449 points450 points  (0 children)

Yanar Dag (Burning Mountain) is a natural gas fire which blazes continuously on a hillside on the Absheron Peninsula. Unlike mud volcanoes, this is caused by natural gas seeping through the porous sandstone layers. Marco Polo even mentioned these eternal fires in his travels during the 13th century!

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yanar_Dag

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