this post was submitted on 24 May 2025
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Science Memes

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On trees... (mander.xyz)
submitted 5 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 44 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Didn't those trees become coal, not oil?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 days ago

Yes. I made mention of this in a reply to someone else as well. I'm not sure if my teacher (like 30 years ago) told us wrong or if I simply remembered it wrong.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (2 children)

I think near water they became oil and far from water they became coal

[–] [email protected] 51 points 4 days ago (1 children)

No, most coal comes from plants in swamps, because the water helped preserve the organic matter.

Plants in swamps die -> organic matter on the bottom of the swamp -> peat -> brown coal -> black coal.

Oil apparently comes mostly from plankton.

On the different origins: https://www.carboeurope.org/how-are-fossil-fuels-formed-the-science-behind-oil-coal-and-natural-gas/

[–] [email protected] 21 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Oil was effectively plankton and other sea stuff.

Coal was forests.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago

Brother I finally found you.

We come from the same place you and me. Remember that barn?