Petro-History: An epic of energy

Many of us know fossil fuels lie at the heart of the climate crisis — but few know the story of these sources of power. In pre-modern times, energy for productive tasks came from human effort or the labour of animals. Fossil fuels were around but their use was basic. All that changed in the 18th century with the arrival of the steam engine — powered by coal. This made farms, factories and transport exponentially efficient, inspiring other inventions which drew from fossil power. Oil and gas joined coal in transforming the world, sparking industrial revolutions, solidifying colonial grasps and generating struggles for freedom and equity.


Using fossil fuels certainly meant liberation from darkness and drudgery — even before World War I, several Western countries had tasted the delights of electricity, rapid transport and domestic heating. These bloomed into a cornucopia of everyday products, from aspirin to lotions, tires to tennis racquets, hair curlers to dentures, vast production lowering prices and fuelling demand. Fossil fuels also power ‘fast’ food, fashion and phones, perhaps sating some of the boredom freedom from physical labour can gift. Their spread is majestic — four-fifths of global primary energy is from coal, oil and gas.



Yet, the same powers have a dark side. When released into the atmosphere, carbon retains heat, warming the environment. The UN finds fossil fuels produce 90% of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions — these are changing Earth’s ‘carbon budget’. Vast carbon stores were sequestered underground but as more fossil fuels are extracted and burnt, these are released, upsetting Earth’s balances. Fossil fuels don’t just damage the atmosphere — the particles they release enter bodies, causing illnesses, researchers finding fossil fuel-driven air pollution is claiming one in five lives worldwide. Yet, these fuels are so deeply interwoven into the fabric of modern life, growth without them seems unimaginable.

However, there are solutions to this impasse. As Times Evoke’s global experts emphasise, learning more about fossil fuels, beyond these simply powering our gadgets or cars, is vital. Intricate histories, combative geopolitics and deeply emotive social identities lie under them. It is only by learning the chronologies of carbon that these fuels seem less magical, empowering us to effectively replace them with renewables. Join Times Evoke in exploring petrohistory — it’s truly the epic of our times.

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