Analysis

March 28, 2024

‘If this exists, it's fantastic’: The frantic rush to find buried hydrogen

If the hydrogen deposits underground are large enough and can be safely extracted, they could prove world-changing


Freya Pratty

6 min read

A fairy circle, indicating where hydrogen has seeped out from underground. Photo: Getech.

In 1987, in the remote Malian village of Bourakébougou, an engineer digging a water well lights up a cigarette and, in doing so, sets off an explosion. 

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Australian fairy circles. Photo: NASA.
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Freya Pratty

Freya Pratty is a senior reporter and investigations lead at Sifted. Follow her on X , LinkedIn and Bluesky

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