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The study, published Tuesday in Seismological Research Letters, reports that fracking waste injection wells are now the leading cause of earthquakes in Texas. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, involves thrusting chemicals and water against shale rock to break it up and release oil or gas. The process produces large amounts of waste fluid, or brine, that is either recycled or disposed of in injection wells.
Image credit: NASA. The two main answers to âhow earthquakes happenâ is: as a result of tectonic plates colliding and volcanic eruption. The shock waves associated with nuclear weapons testing and other man-made explosions. To be considered an earthquake a shock wave has to be of natural origin.Earthquakes Caused By Tectonic Plates: The theory of plate tectonics explains how the crust of the Earth is made of several plates, large areas of crust which float on the Mantle.Since these plates are free to slowly move, they can either drift towards each other, away from each other or slide past each other.Many earthquakes happen in areas where plates collide or slide past each other. The Elastic Rebound Theory applies to these quakes.ince these plates are free to slowly move, they can either drift towards each other, away from each other or slide past each other. Many earthquakes happen in areas where plates collide or slide past each other. The Elastic Rebound Theory applies to these quakes.