Coal is a combustible black or brownishblack sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. A human history provides a concise account of the interactions between humanity and coal, particularly in the united states, united kingdom, and china. Prized as the best stone in britain by roman invaders who carved jewelry out of it, coal has transformed societies, powered navies, fueled economies, and. A human history by barbara freese is very smart in delivering message through the book. The control of biomass fire defined the transition of becoming human nearly 2 million years ago and control of coal was the driver of the first industrial revolution some 250 years ago. More than half of that waste ends up in ponds, lakes, landfills, and other sites where, over time, it can contaminate waterways and drinking water supplies. Delaware county district library ohio scanned in china. Compared to wood fuels, coal yields a higher amount of energy per mass and can often be obtained in. A human history illustrates that this familiar carboniferous mineral has played a key role in human advancement. Coal is a black or brownishblack sedimentary rock that can be burned for fuel and used to generate electricity.
On the unstable earth, the unresting mankind constantly uses a variety of resources for daily lives. Reader can get many real examples that can be great knowledge. North american coal offers highefficiency, costeffective contract mining solutions. A strict thermodynamic perspective must see energyits overall use, quality, intensity, and conversion ef. A brief history of coal worldwide recruitment solutions. However, producing and using coal affects the environment. A human history by barbara freese in epub, rtf, txt download ebook. Although in recent times oil and natural gas have come into prominence as. History of coal type of coal age years peat from 2 mln to now before100 mln before 702 mln brown coal lignite bituminous coal 300200 mln. It is a pleasurable read, full of innumerable factoids and insights about how coal has affected human history. For transportation, the muscle of horses and the power of the wind in our sails took us to every corner of the world.
The novel talks about the history coal has had on ancient civilizations to modern day societies, and from the uk to the usa to china. Combustion and fuels coal petrography the goal of coal petrography. It describes coals important role as an energy source and how coal along with other sources of energy. The same is true for coalfired power plants, which produce more than 100 million tons of coal ash every year. Barbara freese takes us on a rich historical journey that begins hundreds of millions of years ago and spans the globe. The production and use of coal has a very long history. Smil is concerned with the series of transitions that have occurred. Coal has been mined at a small scale since prehistoric times, but it truly became the dominant global fuel in the 18 th century, providing the energy required by the technological advances of the industrial revolution today, many people are surprised to discover that coal is equally as important as oil and gas in the modern energy mix. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. A human history barbara freese prized as the best stone in britain by roman invaders who carved jewelry out of it, coal has transformed societies, powered navies, fueled economies, and expanded frontiers. For a discussion of the coalextraction process, see the article coal mining. Dive deep into barbara freeses coal with extended analysis, commentary, and. The online book is very nice with meaningful content. A human history opinions customers have not however left his or her writeup on the action, you arent make out the print but.
Like the oldest biomass, coal has had a defining role in human history. Bowdoin van riper, power over nature is bought at a great price, popmatters, 14 july 2016, historyrevised. For heat, we relied on the sunand burned wood, straw, and dried dung when the sun failed us. Barbara freese takes us on a rich historical journey that begins hundreds of millions of years ago and spans the. Last week on the flight to and from denver, i consumed via audio book, freely downloaded from my public library system the 2004 microhistory coal. Archeologists have also found evidence that the romans in england used it in the second and third centuries 100200 ad. As the author describes coals history in relation to humans, readers are able to obtain an understanding of how coal has so greatly shaped human history, for the better and for the worse. A black, hard rock, sometimes so shiny it could pass as silver or a light grey, and other times sooty as night. It became important in the industrial revolution of the 19th and 20th centuries, when it was primarily used to power steam engines, heat buildings and generate electricity.
In addition to use as a building material, wood remained the chief global fuel for centuries. A human history, and then look at its ecologicalsocial interactions before and during. Coal is made up of 6595% carbon, and further includes hydrogen, sulphur, oxygen, and nitrogen. Coal mining adversely affects the ecosystem as a whole. Our goal is to partner with our customers to deliver success longterm success through integrated mining solutions that conserve critical habitats, reduce emissions and protect native american heritage. This article considers the geological origins, structure, and properties of coal, its usage throughout human history, and current world distribution. A human history was written by barbara freese to focus on the history of coal and how mankind has used it as part of their lifestyle. Energy sources have changed throughout the history of the. Buy this book coal has been both lauded for its efficiency as a heating fuel and maligned for the lung.
Coal is formed when dead plant matter decays into peat and is converted into coal by the heat and pressure of deep burial over millions of years. A human history by barbara freese 2004, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. A human history is an engaging book intended for the general reader, and it is a book that. When you burn charcoal in your grill at home, ash is leftover. Part history and part environmental argument, freeses elegant book teaches an important lesson about the interdependence of humans and their natural. While the overall energy history of the united states is one of significant change as new forms of energy were developed, the three major fossil fuelspetroleum, natural gas, and coal, which together provided 87% of total u. Launching a revolution full steam ahead a precious seed the rise and fall of king coal invisible power a sort of black stone a burning legacy accessrestricteditem true addeddate. An economic analysis of the appalachian coal industry.
The history of coal mining goes back thousands of years. Surface mines sometimes called strip mines were the source of about 63% of the coal mined in the united states in 2018. A human history is a well researched and well written novel on coal. One of online books that will be nice for you is book entitledcoal. To date with regards to the guide we have now coal. An economic analysis of the appalachian coal industry ecosystem january 2018 eric bowen, mark l. Before the industrial revolution, our energy needs were modest. It also adds information about the transition from england to the u. Coal stone age it is believed coal was used for heating and cooking. Along with the agricultural revolution, these were arguably among the most important milestones of. For those interested in world history, this book fills in many blanks. Coal is formed from peat following the pressure of rocks laid.
The last third of coal is dedicated to the environmental impact it. It includes a great many interesting anecdotes, as well as some good analysis of the social, health, and environmental consequences of coal use. For a more complete treatment of the processes involved in coal combustion, see the article coal utilization. Department of geography, kings college, london, uksearch for more papers by this author.
The fascinating, often surprising story of how a simple black rock has altered the course of history. It is composed mostly of carbon and hydrocarbons, which contain energy that can be released through combustion burning. Ever since the times when early nomads used the slashandburn method, coal has been around acting as jewelry for the romans and as fuel for peasants and the noble class in britain. Its light on the geology, and heavy on the historical implications of coal. Coal is the largest source of energy for generating electricity in the world, and the most abundant fossil fuel in the united states. Oil 101 history of oil a timeline of the modern oil. Chapter 7 coal penn state college of earth and mineral. Coal mining continues as an important economic activity today. The book examines the role that coal has played in human history. A human history barbara freese prized as the best stone in britain by roman invaders who carved jewelry out of it, coal has transformed societies, powered.
As with many of these sorts of books, its basically a compilation of related nonfictional explications of topics of diverse. Throughout human history, energy has been a key enabler of living standards. A brief history of coal coal is the most plentiful fuel in the fossil family and it has the longest and, perhaps, the most varied history. Department of geography, kings college, london, uk. And with the looming threat of climate change, as america burns more coal than ever before, understanding coals power has never been more critical.
Coal is an abundant fuel source that is relatively inexpensive to produce and convert to useful energy. In this remarkable book, barbara freese takes us on a rich historical journey. To survive in the agrarian era, people burned wood for warmth and cooking. The coal resourceprovides a comprehensive overview of coal and the role it plays in our lives. The industrial age, freese writes, emerged literally in a haze of coal smoke, and in that smoke we can read much of the history of the modern world.
The last third of coal is dedicated to the environmental impact it canis havehaving on the planet. A short history of energy union of concerned scientists. It covers how coal is formed, how it is mined, through to its use and the impact it has on our societies and natural environment. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. Thesis coal has always been both a creative and a destructive force. This series of five arccommissioned reports explores some of the current. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other elements. Part social, environmental, and political history, the saga of coal is ultimately a deeply revealing and underappreciated piece of human history. Ranging from the great stinking fogs of london to the ratinfested coal mines of pennsylvania, from the impoverished slums of manchester to the toxic streets of beijing, coal is a captivating narrative about an ordinary substance with an extraordinary impact on human civilization. A human history a new york times notable book engrossing and sometimes stunning.