From rock to rail: the hidden choices shaping coal’s journey and its future.
Coal seams sometimes burn underground for decades after mining, creating long-lasting subterranean fires that can heat groundwater miles away.
Ancient forests compressed into coal can contain primitive organisms; some coal beds preserve ancient tree rings and spores intact.
The industrial revolution's coal demand dramatically shifted urban weather, cooling cities at night while warming them during the day due to heat island effects.
Mining can cause mountains to 'shrink' as enormous rock overburden is removed, altering river paths and regional ecosystems for generations.
Coal seams sometimes burn underground for decades after mining, creating long-lasting subterranean fires that can heat groundwater miles away.
Ancient forests compressed into coal can contain primitive organisms; some coal beds preserve ancient tree rings and spores intact.
The industrial revolution's coal demand dramatically shifted urban weather, cooling cities at night while warming them during the day due to heat island effects.
Mining can cause mountains to 'shrink' as enormous rock overburden is removed, altering river paths and regional ecosystems for generations.
