The world runs on oil. It powers our cars and heats and cools our homes. It is in the plastic in our ballpoint pens, our mobile phones, and our fleece jackets. Oil has created enormous wealth, but it has caused conflicts that have brought great suffering. Though oil has been in use for thousands of years, the oil industry as we know it is only about 150 years old. The development of that industry has transformed the world, making our lives easier and more comfortable. But because burning oil and other fossil fuels causes global warming, oil is also changing the world in ways that promise a less-rosy future.
