A hydrocarbon-based, flammable, highly-polluting liquid formed as a result of millions of years of decaying
sediment composed of dead microscopic animals. This
fossil fuel is the
lifeblood of our Industrial civilization, and for as long as it can be cheaply extracted, we are hopelessly dependent upon it for transportation, agriculture, electricity, fashion, chemicals, fertilizers, cosmetics,
plastics, medical, and technological needs.
Unfortunately for us, the geologists, analysts, mathematicians, and former oil-company employees have all repeatedly come up with proof that our oil supply will be almost gone by the end of the 21st century, and that oil production will peak within a few years from now, if it hasn't already
sone so.
After it peaks the oil will then become more expensive to extract than to use. And immediately after that, prices will
soar, businesses will shut down, people will panic like animals, economies will collapse, wars will break out, blood will soak the ground, and billions of people will die horrible deaths as our species shrinks back to the population of the 1700s, or even that of
Medieval times.
All because of that cursed, smelly brown muck that was once found oozing from the round.
Our religious belief that our oil supply is infinite will be the death of
billions of us when Nature eventually forces us to see how wrong we are. Too bad we STILL haven't advanced our
alternative fuel sources to prepare for that inevitable day when the last drop of cheap
oil can be extracted.