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FrackingFracking, short for hydraulic fracturing, involves blasting fluid deep underground to fracture bedrock and access previously unreachable troves of oil and natural gas. The technique is often done in L-shaped wells—drilled down vertically and then horizontally—to maximize output. After drilling, a mixture of water, chemicals, and sand or clay is injected into the well, causing the rock to crack and release fossil fuels, which are pumped up to the surface. Water makes up more than 90% of the mixture and provides the pressure that creates the fissure. The sand or clay keeps the fissures open, while the chemicals are primarily used to dissolve debris, reduce friction, and kill bacteria. Fracking boomed in the US in the early 2000s, when innovations in horizontal drilling and 3D seismic imaging made it more economically viable, coinciding with geopolitical tensions that prompted reduced dependence on foreign energy. However, the method raises several environmental concerns, including the potential for contaminating drinking water, discharging wastewater into local ecosystems, and increasing earthquake risks.Explore Fracking

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Fracking technology can help make geothermal power possible almost everywhereGenerating electricity from Earth's thermal energy has previously required existing underground reservoirs of hot water and permeable rocks through which the fluid naturally escapes. Today, fractures can be artificially created to form fluid pathways, and surface water can be injected underground and brought back to the surface. US Department of Energy Fracking rates may increase with the construction of new data centersIn Pennsylvania, plans to build at least five new facilities supported by gas-fired power plants are expected to escalate public health risks through surges in air and water pollution. Data center water demands are expected to further strain local resources. Yale E360 Fracking has led to an increased global oil supply, contributing to lower oil pricesFracking technology has significantly increased how much crude oil the US produces. As more countries adopt fracking technology, there could be an increased downward pressure on prices—although fracking has been widely criticized for its negative environmental impacts. Investopedia Some faucets in regions near fracking wells run flammable water A 2011 study found methane contamination as much as 3,000 feet away from wells, although there was no evidence of fracking chemicals in tested wells. Water with low methane concentrations is not harmful to drink, but it becomes flammable when mixed with air. ProPublica Rising fracking rates have increased prices of some food productsEvery fracking well uses approximately 20,000 pounds of guar gum, a thickening and stabilizing agent commonly used in ice cream, salad dressing, and baked goods. The polysaccharide is also a key component in some cosmetics and explosives. Dallas Observer The fracking industry has created hundreds of thousands of jobs since 1949The method of extracting fossil fuels from shale rock formations has saved Americans an estimated $23B annually in energy costs. Every year, fracking generates billions of gallons of wastewater and causes methane—a greenhouse gas that is over 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide—to leak into the atmosphere. 1440 Federal subsidies have boosted US fracking profitsBetween 2000 and 2020, the US government invested tens of billions of dollars to facilitate the extraction of shale oil and gas reserves. These subsidies helped make new projects viable and kept fossil fuel companies afloat while global energy prices and renewable energy startup costs have fallen. SEI Fracking brought short-term wealth and long-term collapse to Rock Springs, WyomingIn the early 2000s, the fracking boom transformed the quiet mining town into a hub of oil field laborers with plentiful job opportunities. Once the boom faded and industry left, unaffordable housing, unsafe working conditions, and drug epidemics left many residents with no prospects amid a disappearing way of life. The New Republic The value of fracking is dependent on international energy marketsRussia's war in Ukraine spurred calls in the US to increase fracking, which has historically reduced dependence on foreign nations and increased national security. However, some experts argue that renewable energy provides even better energy independence, as fracking investments may not be worthwhile if importing fossil fuels is significantly cheaper. Slate Find fracking wells where you live and what chemicals operators are usingFracturing fluid recipes are largely proprietary, but FracFocus has maintained a database of chemical disclosures since 2011. Today, the Department of Energy-affiliated nonprofit has more than 240,000 disclosures, along with a searchable database of fracking wells by state, county, and city. FracFocus As of 2024, approximately 44% of Americans support frackingThis makes the method less popular than carbon-free forms of energy production, such as solar, wind, and nuclear power, but more popular than coal mining. Support for fracking increased 7% from 2020 to 2024, primarily due to increased support from Republicans and older Americans. Pew Research Center About 10% of the world's crude oil and 32% of its natural gas is reached via frackingMost of the world's shale oil resources, which are recoverable via fracking, are found in Russia, the US, China, Argentina, and Libya. The majority of equivalent shale gas resources are found in China, Argentina, Algeria, the US, Canada, and Mexico. US Energy Information Administration Disposal wells for fracking wastewater have been linked to spikes in seismic activityA study of all such underground wells in the central and eastern US found that they were 1.5 times more likely to be associated with earthquakes than oil recovery wells. The link between fluid injection and earthquakes was strongest at disposal wells where fluid was injected quickly. Science Many chemicals used in fracking fluid have been classified as toxicAlthough the fluid has been known to leach into drinking water supplies, raising health concerns, fracking is exempt from federal clean water regulations due to a loophole in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 championed by former US Vice President Dick Cheney. The Conversation Oil and natural gas from fracking is considered unconventionalThis method forcibly extracts fossil fuels from tightly packed rocks, where they form from organic matter that has undergone extreme heat and pressure. Conventional drilling, on the other hand, waits for the oil and gas to escape from shale and accumulate in more porous and permeable rocks, such as limestone. EnergyTrainingResLLC Fracking originated in the American Civil WarAfter witnessing how artillery created fissures in narrow water channels, a Civil War veteran wondered if the process could be replicated in underground wells to extract oil. He patented an "exploding torpedo" for this purpose, which became the foundation for future fracking techniques. American Oil & Gas Historical Society In 2019, the US became a net energy exporter thanks to the fracking boomThe US began exporting more energy than it consumed that year, making it a net energy exporter. Energy imports have decreased every year since 2007, as improved technology has increased the number of accessible domestic oil and natural gas reserves. U.S. Energy Information Administration Fracking provides access to fossil fuel reserves locked in underground rockUsing a pressurized fluid mixture that is over 90% water, cracks are created in shale about 2 miles deep to release trapped oil and natural gas. The process uses an average of 3 to 6 million gallons of water per well, which can strain local water supplies. TED-Ed Men are flocking to hundreds of new online testosterone clinics for low T prescriptionsMany primary care clinicians may not be familiar with testosterone testing protocols and treatments, but online testosterone clinics are proliferating, with names like DudeMeds. COVID-era restrictions loosened remote prescribing rules, allowing them to expand online widely, though those more lenient prescribing policies are slated to expire in December 2026 unless they're renewed. (Some users may experience a paywall.) STAT A guide to crude oil and natural gas extraction, from rig site preparation to land restorationRequirements for traffic plans, access roads, and noise barriers vary by state and local laws, but once the rig site is prepared, the rig is assembled and digs a well that gets encased by steel and cement to protect groundwater reservoirs. After drilling and testing the extraction pipe, fracking fluid is injected into the rock to create cracks where crude oil resides, allowing it to be pumped out. Coloradans for Responsible Energy Development Understanding why the US can't use its own crude oil and depends on global marketsBefore advancements in fracking technology made lighter shale oil readily available, US refineries had been built and optimized for decades to process heavier oil from other countries with high profitability. Despite being able to refine lighter oil, US oil companies can operate with better margins by exporting it to other nations whose refineries are optimized for it and importing heavier oil, for which the US has the infrastructure. Morning Brew Millions of aging Americans are facing dementia or cognitive impairment—aloneAn estimated 4.3 million people aged 55 or older who have cognitive impairment or dementia live alone in the US. The individuals facing these challenges are more likely to be women, people of color, and to generally be poorer and less educated than other older adults who are also living alone. KFF Health News Volatile chemical contamination can last in burn areas long after urban wildfiresLead, arsenic, asbestos, and other chemicals have been found trapped in smoke-exposed rugs, couches, pillows, and other furniture that appeared otherwise undamaged from the 2025 LA wildfires. The gradual release of these substances has produced dangerous indoor air concentrations and contributed to increased emergency room visits and abnormal blood tests. Science Friday Geothermal power may meet 15% of global electricity demand growth through 2050According to the International Energy Agency, the estimate would require the construction of geothermal capacity with an annual output equivalent to the combined electricity consumption in the US and India in 2024. The report suggests geothermal investment will reach $2.5T by 2050, with the integration of fracking technologies decreasing costs by 80% by 2035. International Energy Agency Cracking and packing are the main tactics behind gerrymanderingCracking and packing are gerrymandering techniques. Cracking splits opposing voters across districts, diluting their power. Packing concentrates their votes into a few districts, wasting them in overwhelming majorities for one party. The Washington Post Explore a series of NASA visualizations tracking satellites and space debrisThe series illustrates the population of objects orbiting Earth as of February 2024, using data from US Space Command. These include active satellites, defunct spacecraft, rocket bodies and debris fragments larger than roughly 10 centimeters in low Earth orbit. NASA Scientific Visualization Studio Tracking Georgia O’Keeffe paintings across AmericaExplore different significant locations where the painter’s works have lived, including the White House, from 1997 to 2004. Pick a nearby museum to witness the masterpieces up close. Google Arts & Culture Tectonic earthquakes are caused by interactions of tectonic plates at fault zonesAt these locations, plates slide past one another, deforming rock through friction as energy builds like a stretched rubber band. Volcanic eruptions, the collapse of subterranean caverns, or underground nuclear explosions can also cause earthquakes. Caltech Science Exchange Oil shocks, war, and the 1970s crisis that remade American energy and economicsThe oil crises of the 1970s—fueled by Middle East conflict and OPEC’s dominance—triggered inflation, price controls, and policy failure. But they also accelerated fracking, alternative energy, and the rise of free-market economics. The Marginal Revolution Podcast Tracking our progress toward 'Star Trek' technologies"Star Trek" is a beloved science fiction series not only for its cast of characters but also for its intelligent speculative exploration of technology. This site regularly tracks the progress humanity is making toward achieving some of the futuristic capabilities used in the fiction series, including species deextinction, cloaking devices, and more. Are We Trek Yet?Tracking US spending this yearSee an up-to-date accounting of how much money the US federal government has spent this fiscal year. This helpful and interactive webpage from the US Treasury Department gives an expansive overview of how the government has spent its money and how spending trends have evolved over time. US Treasury Fiscal Data Smart cities have been more successful when upgrading existing infrastructureBuilding urban landscapes with smart technologies from scratch has sometimes produced futuristic-looking yet sterile environments that struggle to attract residents and justify high costs. Enhancing existing areas while retaining their historical and cultural touchstones has proven more appealing in many cities. Yale University The K-pop industry's Big Four are facing declining stock pricesThe major players of the K-pop industry—SM, JYP, YG, and HYBE—are publicly listed companies. Despite huge financial successes, these corporations have recently dealt with plunging stock prices, losing between 29% and 56% of their market cap by late 2024. While there’s no one reason for the recent devaluation, there are signs of slowing enthusiasm and less action from the major players—BTS and Blackpink. CNBC Do sleep-tracking apps work?Can technology help us sleep better? As wearables and apps promise to optimize our nights, this New York Times investigation reveals some troubling findings after columnist Brian Chen used a wearable for two weeks to track his sleep. He discovered that sleep trackers not only provide frequently questionable data but can also paradoxically worsen sleep problems by causing users to obsess over their metrics — a new condition researchers are calling ‘orthosomnia.’ The New York Times Unless prices of fossil fuels rise significantly, their production is expected to slowUS oil and natural gas production skyrocketed from 2000 to 2020, largely due to advances in fracking. However, weak global energy prices have prevented this boom from translating into increased profits for fossil fuel companies. Federal Reserve Bank of New York Explore a timeline of US dependence on crude oil from 1850 to 2023Oil dependence began with the rise of oil as a commodity, followed by an era of geopolitical competition for the resource after World War II. The domestic fracking boom, which started around 2006, was driven by a desire to reduce the nation's dependence on international adversaries for energy. Council on Foreign Relations Tracking butterfly migration via the pollen they collectTrillions of insects migrate around the world each year, but many are too small to track with physical trackers, leaving their migratory routes a mystery. In recent years, scientists have utilized pollen grains collected from butterflies to analyze which plants that pollen originated from—providing substantial data to infer the insect's specific route. Research has shed light on many insects' migrations since, including the Painted Lady butterfly. Read more and see a map here. Knowable Magazine Track Santa and his industrious elvesStarting in December, you can follow along with Santa’s trek across the globe. Spend time on the map, play games, and even translate your holiday messages into other languages. Google Burning Man hosts roughly 70k attendees each yearSince 1986, the Burning Man organization has shared a census tracking growth, fluctuations, demographics, and burners' attitudes each year. Part of the organization's motivation is to monitor and reduce carbon emissions at the event. Burning Man Tracking the Isdal WomanIn 1970, a burnt body encircled by an odd assortment of items was found in a remote Norwegian valley. For nearly 50 years, the true identity of the woman escaped authorities who found she had traveled the country under many names. This podcast episode is the first in a 12-part series seeking to uncover the woman's identity and what happened in her final moments. Death in Ice Valley The collapse of gas bubbles in the joint synovial fluid causes 'cracking' knucklesThe human population can be divided into two categories: those who crack their knuckles and those who don't. Do you know the technical term for this phenomenon is "tribonucleation?" What actually happens inside a knuckle when it pops? This visual explainer breaks down finger joint popping in real time. Vox An interactive visualization tracking 25 years of US-North Korea nuclear negotiationsFrom 1990 to 2017, the United States and North Korea engaged in a complex series of bilateral and multilateral negotiations. This interactive page, compiled by CSIS Beyond Parallel, displays a record of provocations and negotiations between the two... Center for Strategic and International Studies What threats are the tundra facing?This article discusses the threats endangering the tundra, including climate change, air pollution, and human industrial activities. Climate change is causing permafrost in the tundra to thaw, releasing greenhouse gases and contributing to a cycle... National Geographic Society Tracking the latest meteorite falls on EarthRoughly 50 tons of meteorite material arrives on Earth every day, and many of the larger objects survive the hot temperatures of the atmosphere and make landfall. This tracker compiles data from survey sites across the globe to present the latest... NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration What are the human rights issues facing the world today?This video debates the modern relevance of the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The world has seen multiple examples of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity since the document was signed over 70 years ago. Now, many... YouTube An interactive map tracking conflict in the Middle EastConflict and peace in the Middle East are constantly in flux. Decision-makers need up-to-date developments – both within individual countries and across the greater MENA region – to identify trends and risks of violence, and opportunities for... Crisis Group Tracking where people moved in the US in 2022The latest data from the US Postal Service's change of address request system shows a decline in migration in 2022. See where people are moving and where they are leaving with this data breakdown. National Association of REALTORS®Asteroids are often unobserved until they are days away from EarthEven those large enough to cause local or regional damage are too small, dim, and far away to be observed readily from cosmological distances. New tools, like NASA's NEO Surveyor telescope, aim to address gaps in detection systems. Reuters Tracking the latest developments in the Taiwan StraitChina continues to express its desire to unify with Taiwan and prevent the island republic from any interaction with the United States of America. See the latest skirmishes and saber-rattlings on the part of the Chinese government in this detailed article that provides clear data visualizations of how China has encroached on Taiwan's air space and tested the waters, so to speak. CSIS

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