Crack in the World

A team of scientists undertakes a daring project to tap the Earth’s geothermal energy by drilling deep into the planet’s crust. Their efforts are led by a renowned researcher, who believes that using a nuclear explosion can penetrate a stubborn layer of magma and unleash untold energy reserves that could benefit humanity. Despite warnings from his colleague, who worries about the consequences of such force, the experiment is set into motion at a remote African site. The nuclear detonation achieves its goal in breaking through, but soon after, abnormal seismic activity raises concerns. Small tremors begin to ripple through the area, and strange geologic phenomena are observed, hinting at unintended consequences from the experiment.

As the researchers scramble to study the data and understand what is happening, tension arises between the leading scientist, his assistant, and his wife, all of whom are caught up in the mounting crisis. The scientific community grows alarmed as reports flow in from around the globe of earthquakes, geysers, and other disturbances. Fearing that they may have triggered a catastrophic event, the team debates urgent strategies to halt what might be an accelerating disaster beneath their feet. With time running out, the question looms whether science can remedy an error of this scale before irreversible harm is done to the planet and its inhabitants.