ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

History of petroleum

Petroleum is a type of oil that is found underground, and it has been used by people for a very long time. A long time ago, people would find small amounts of it on the ground, and they would use it for various purposes, like lighting lamps or coating boats to make them waterproof. But it was not until about 150 years ago that people discovered how to get large amounts of petroleum out of the ground and use it for things like fuel.

Back in the 1800s, people used to drill for petroleum by hand, which was very difficult and dangerous work. But over time, technology improved, and people started using machines to drill for petroleum. This made it much easier to find and extract large amounts of petroleum from underground.

Once people were able to extract petroleum on a large scale, they found many uses for it. It was used to fuel cars, trucks, and airplanes, as well as to heat homes and power factories. It was also used to make all kinds of products, like plastics, fertilizers, and even medicine.

Today, petroleum is a very important resource, and it is used all over the world. However, some people are concerned that we are using too much of it and that it is causing damage to the environment. As a result, there is a growing interest in finding other sources of energy that are more sustainable and less harmful to the planet.