Fracking | The Source Rock | S50-E1

American Innovations

Wondery

Steven Johnson, History, Kids & Family, Education For Kids, Science

4.6 • 4.1K Ratings

🗓️ 15 July 2021

⏱️ 48 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In the late 1970s, oil and natural gas fields across the U.S. were drying up, making the country increasingly dependent on foreign oil. Then, a Texas energy magnate named George Mitchell decided to try extracting natural gas from shale, a layer of rock almost two miles beneath the surface, using a technique called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. His innovation would kick off an energy revolution, and spur a massive environmental backlash.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to an episode of a Wondery Plus exclusive series.
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0:08.9	early access to your favorite podcasts and more.
0:11.6	Find Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple
0:14.2	podcasts. It's after 10 p.m. on December 14th, 2007 in a suburb outside of Cleveland.
0:32.0	Richard and Thelma Payne, both in their 80s, are getting ready for bed.
0:37.0	Thelma's in the bathroom brushing her teeth.
0:40.0	Their white split-level house isn't fancy, but they've lived here for more than 50 years and still love the place.
0:46.7	They raised six children here. For Thelma, it's full of memories.
0:50.8	Thelma spits out her toothpaste and turns on the water to rinse off her
0:55.1	toothbrush. Not again. Richard!
1:00.5	Richard shuffles in, his pajama shirt half buttoned.
1:03.0	What is it? The water's being strange again.
1:06.0	Richard turns a tap back on and watches the water sputter on and off.
1:11.0	Air must have gotten into the pipes. I'll call the plumber in the morning.
1:15.0	All right. Richard climbs into bed, pulling back the covers for Thelma.
1:20.0	She climbs in beside him and gives him a good night kiss.
1:23.0	Good night, sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite.
1:28.0	And with that, Thelma drifts off to sleep. Sometime later, in the middle of the night, she's jolted awake.
1:38.0	What was that?
1:40.0	What's happening?
1:41.0	Richard sits up, listening carefully. It sounds like all the drawers in the next
	...

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