General KnOWLedge: What are fossil fuels?

Oil, natural gas, and coal have changed the world in many ways—but where do they come from?



"Just plug it in!"

From light switches to ovens, cars to computers, we humans are used to easy power. As a species, we've lived with public electricity for over a century. And we've used high-powered vehicles for transit—such as trains and ships—for even longer.

Many inventions and innovations helped us get to this point. But the real force behind it goes back not centuries, but millions of years.

Fossil fuels.

Starting in the 18th century these fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) provided the power needed to create factories, railways, and, later on, automobiles and even power plants, which brought electricity to our homes.

But fossil fuels did more than change our lifestyles—they changed the ecosystem of the entire planet.

Fuel for thought

These fuels are talked about all the time on the news. But often without explaining exactly what they are in the first place. We're sure you have some questions!

So in our latest episode of OWLconnected's General KnOWLedge, we're talking about everything to do with fossil fuels. How they are made. Why they are able to burn and create energy. How they caught on and changed society. And why they have become such a risk.

Get your mental motors running by watching the video below!


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