When did people start burning a lot of fossil fuels?

Answer 1

The Chinese were using coal more than 3000 years ago, but not on any large scale.

The world started to seriously burn fossil fuels from the start of the Industrial Revolution around 1760, about 250 years ago.

Answer 2

The widespread burning of fossil fuels began during the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century, but it increased significantly during the 20th century with the rise of modern industrial societies and growing energy demands.

Answer 3

Our ancestors started using them when they discovered that they give off heat and light when burned, and some of the oil was bubbling out of the ground and collecting in puddles so it was easy to get at. Since then we have discovered many more uses for oil and gas, such as lubricants. We started relying on it when chemical and mechanical engineers discovered many useful properties of it, such as portability and consistency, which made it more desirable in industry than wood, steam and wind power. Now that the fossil fuel industry is deeply ingrained in our economy, many of us are unwilling to "rediscover" and convert to any of the previous methods of generating power.

Answer 4

The writings of Herodotus record the fact tahat "rock oil" (petroleum) was being used for various purposes including lamp lighting in the 5th centruy BC, and probably it was used before that too.

Answer 5

At the start of the Industrial Revolution, around 1750, coal was discovered. It was this discovery that kick started the Industrial Revolution because people realised that burning coal released a lot of energy. Factories started springing up powered with steam engines and driving machinery with spinning belts. Later oil and natural gas were also discovered but coal was the key.

Answer 6

Coal was the first of the fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) to be discovered, as some coal seams are close to the surface of the earth. There is evidence of simple surface coal mining in China from about 3500 BC.

There is evidence that the Romans, Greeks and Aztecs also burned coal. Around the 13th and 14th Century coal was beginning to be used for heating in some parts of Britain, especially on the coast, where coal seams were sometimes visible, and also in places where wood for fuel was in short supply.

However, it was not till the Industrial Revolution, 200 years ago, that we seriously began burning coal to run the engines of the early mills and factories. When oil and then natural gas was discovered that gave a great boost to transport and electricity generation.

It was not known at the time that carbon dioxide was a powerful greenhouse gas that would gradually build up in the earth's atmosphere causing global warming.

Answer 7

Hundreds of Millions of Years of Sedimentation: found now at the Surface of Earth as well as Five Miles Down. Sediments yield Coal while Extreme Sediments result in Oil.

Answer 8

Coal is a fossil fuel that has been used since fire was discovered. Let's say since 10,000 b.c.

Answer 9

The first use of coal was probably in China. Copper has been found in northeastern China near Fu-shun dating back 3000 years which must have been smelted by fire.

Answer 10

industrial revolution