FOSSIL FUELS – A JOURNEY IN TIME
For many millennia humanity’s energy came ultimately from the sun.
From the photosynthesis of plants, that provided fuel for human and animal labour, to the wood or dung burnt for cooking or warmth.
Even wind and water power – used for grinding corn and sailing ships – came ultimately from the steady beating down of the sun’s rays mobilizing our atmosphere and climate. They rooted the energy available to us in space and time.
The expansion of coal – powering and powered by the steam engine – offered an escape, a cheat. Later
