We've been around the block enough times and seen enough harrowing YouTube videos to know that caving is a dangerous pastime. Whether it be the infamous story of the Nutty Putty cave and the death of John Edward Jones, or Mexico's beautiful cave of crystals that’s deadly to humans, it's usually a case of staying above ground being the safest option.
Still, much like we haven't learned it's safer to keep our feet on the ground when it comes to our many escapades into the sky, humans don't seem to have learned.
In one video shared to Reddit, we get a closer look at Costa Rica's 'Cave of Death', aka 'Cerro de la Muerte'.
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This seemingly unassuming cave has a sign that reads, "Danger! No trespassing beyond this point," in local Spanish and English.
Those who dare to venture inside would be in danger of dying, with the Cave of Death being a lethal pool of carbon dioxide that’s 'remarkably stable' and 100% CO₂. In the video, we see how a flame is extinguished when placed near the floor, and as flames need oxygen, it proves this fascinating phenomenon.
As CO₂ is heavier than air, it sinks to the ground and creates an invisible layer of 'bad air'. We're reminded of Turkey's Ploutonion at Hierapolis, which is also known as the 'Gate to Hell' and was a popular attraction for the ancient Greco-Roman people.
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Despite only measuring two meters deep and three meters long, the Cave of Death is a small but deadly addition to the area made famous by the Poas Volcano.
Even though the cave is so small it's unlikely humans would fit in there and be affected by its noxious gasses, people have captured images of dead birds that have succumbed to the Cave of Death's macabre legacy.
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Whether it be in search of food or shelter, birds, rodents, snakes, and other small animals are all known to have wandered inside...never to return.
YouTuber Guy van Rentergem headed there in 2019, explaining how the cave pumps out 30 kgs of CO₂ per hour: "This is a very small cave, but it’s unusual in that there’s a substantial seep of carbon dioxide gas coming.
"The CO2 layer is essentially unreadable by small animals, or even humans for that matter. So small animals enter the cave and asphyxiate, usually within a few moments."
To put the cave's omissions into context, Rentergem says that its hourly output of carbon dioxide is the equivalent of a car driving 256 km. Over the course of the year, it's the same as driving 2.2 million km, which would be 56 times around the world.
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With the Cave of Death sitting on the campus of the Recreo Verde Hotel and Spa, it's become quite the tourist hot spot, as guided tours show off the cave and warn visitors how dangerous it could be.