50 Years Ago Earth

50 years ago, nuclear blasting for gas boomed. Today it’s a bust.

Excerpt from the December 17, 1966, issue of Science News

Gasbuggy device

NUCLEAR FRACKING  In 1967, scientists lowered a 29-kiloton nuclear device deep underground, then detonated it at a depth of 4,240 feet. The explosion was intended to stimulate production of natural gas, as part of Project Gasbuggy.

Energy.gov/Flickr

By Emily Conover

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