Without oxygen, the material does not fully decompose. The question of whether oil came from dinosaurs is one of the most persistent myths in modern geology.
The Real Fossil Fuel Plankton Source Behind the Myth
While it is theoretically possible that some dinosaur remains contributed to the fossil fuel mix, their contribution is negligible compared to the vast quantities of microscopic matter. The Source Material: Plankton, Not Tyrannosaurus To understand where oil really comes from, you have to look millions of years before the age of dinosaurs.
The primary ingredients for creating crude oil are organic matter from tiny marine life, specifically plankton and algae. Type III kerogen is primarily from land-based plant matter and is more likely to produce natural gas or coal than liquid oil.
Real Fossil Fuel Plankton Source
This process breaks down the complex organic molecules into the simpler hydrocarbon chains that make up crude oil and natural gas. Kerogen Type Primary Source Primary Fossil Fuel I Algae Oil II Plankton, Bacteria, Algae Oil and Gas III Land Plants Gas and Coal Modern Evidence and Extraction We know the biological origin of oil not just from theory, but from direct observation.
More About Did oil come from dinosaurs
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