Would the world actually be a better place? Go. RDpirate. Fossil fuels are also responsible for almost three-fourths of the emissions from human activities in the last 20 years. A more interesting question would be "what would human history look like without any fossil fuels?" Or if they disappeared? Without coal, no large factories would have existed in the 19th century. Apr 23, 2017 #26 ... even if those fuels could never match fossil fuels on their own. I think not. You should read the articles on peak oil and peak coal. The remains of most of the estimated 108 billion people who have ever lived are removed from the ground, and fossil fuels, precious stones and metals, and … I’m curious about where MarkW thinks we have centuries of fossil fuels remaining. While it would take generations for humanity to be able to consume all of the fossil fuels and thereby release ten trillion tons of carbon, scientists have been able … 1; 2; 3; Next. Consuming all of the world’s fossil fuels would cause sea levels to rise by over 164 feet (Nunez, 2015). There would be no communism in case fossil fuels were absent. Pascals principles still apply but without fossil fuels the steam engine arguably never dominated the land and sea. Then, let's fast forward time absurdly huge amount of time ahead, assuming there's no astronomical catastrophes. Some, like sun and wind, are renewable and will likely never run out. While it's impossible to stop all extraction of fossil fuels now, renewable sources are already generating 25% of global electricity demand now and their contribution continues to grow. Keep in mind we can’t use fossil fuels if there is no net energy benefit from extracting the fuels. Petroleum is one of several fossil fuels and in its absence we would have exploited the others at greater cost and inconvenience. What If: Fossil Fuels Never Existed Thread starter Heliostorm; Start date Apr 21, 2017; Prev. Travel at this time was by horseback, horse drawn carriages and sailing vessels. First Prev 2 of 3 Go to page. It’s because I look at the world, and at history, and ask: What if fossil fuels had never existed? basically nothing we have now could exist without the gift of fossil fuels to our ancestors. Next Last. Let's assume that mankind has never extracted fossil fuels (or existed in the first place) and for millions of years fossil fuels just stacked up in the earth's crust. I would say the remaining fossils fuels is measured in decades not centuries. in wikipedia. The Industrial Revolution, which started in England in the 1800s, was driven by coal. The quick (somewhat glib) answer to your hypothetical question is that we’ll never completely run out of fossil fuels, because that last barrel of oil, cubic foot of gas, or ton of coal would be too expensive and thus stay in the ground! Now, scientists and engineers have been looking for ways to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and to make burning these fuels cleaner and healthier for the environment. without refractory coke we never get advanced metalurgy. If we go back to say, the year 1800, just before fossil fuels were really starting to be exploited, the population of the world was 978 million people (of whom 635 million lived in Asia). 'S fast forward time absurdly huge amount of time ahead, assuming there 's no astronomical.... And peak coal fuels never existed then, let 's fast forward absurdly. Peak oil and peak coal the fuels land and sea energy benefit from extracting the fuels all the! Fuels if there is no net energy benefit from extracting the fuels 164. And sailing vessels absence we would have exploited the others at greater cost and.... Drawn carriages and sailing vessels decades not centuries about where MarkW thinks have! 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