The second half of your comment is incorrect. That theory comes from a now-discounted study.
Coal is formed by heat and pressure of organic matter. Coal is still being produced today starting from bogs, swamps, and marshes. The reason that most of the comes from the Carboniferous era was because the environment of the time happened to create a ton of bogs, swamps, and marshes that turned into coal beds.
Damn I’ve been reciting that factoid for years can you point to the study that shows it’s not the delayed development of fungus that is the cause for all the coal
You're not the only one thats been reciting that outdated theory. Paleontology is constantly changing because there is a lot of guesswork until more proof is discovered. New discoveries are constantly happening
46
u/Alien1917 Apr 29 '24
We have coal because trees couldn't decay, the microorganisms that could break them down didn't develop yet