Human Petroleum? - Tilted Forum Project - TFP - Sexuality, Philosophy and Political Discussion

TARZAN · 10-09-2007, 12:45 PM

I was thinking about this, and may have simply been thinking to hard....But I became curious....

Fossil fuels come from the decay of fossils, AKA dead organisms from long ago, right?

So does this mean, if the world is around long enough, the area where large cemetaries are currently located could be potential petroleum deposits?

-Will

MrTia · 10-09-2007, 12:59 PM

i think that could happen over the fullness of time but i believe the process of organic material turning into oil takes millions and millions of years.

also, the dinosaurs were running the show for more than a hundred million years, if my research in fifth grade is holding up, but humans have only been running around in any significant numbers for a few hundred.

TARZAN · 10-09-2007, 01:01 PM

Hence the reason I said "If the world is around long enough" lol. I also have no clue how much material it actually takes to bring about something like that. Didn't know if a large cemetery would be sufficient or not....

-Will

maleficent · 10-09-2007, 01:03 PM

Do I sense a remake of Soylent Green?

The_Jazz · 10-09-2007, 01:07 PM

Only if we keep burying the dead upon the dead. Oil deposits are generally former swamps or forests (on land or at sea) where biological matter stacked upon itself and was then covered by non-organic matter.

I doubt cemetaries would have enough organic matter to create the same effect, at least from human bodies. The grass clippings, however, might make for a different story.

Ustwo · 10-09-2007, 04:14 PM

What jazz said.

Not enough bio-mass.

TARZAN · 10-10-2007, 12:11 AM

Any idea, roughly, what kinda mass we'd be talking about, to be considered sufficient?

-Will

Daniel_ · 10-10-2007, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maleficent

Do I sense a remake of Soylent Green?

Soylent Premium, a high octane sci-fi thriller?

MSD · 10-10-2007, 02:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TARZAN

Any idea, roughly, what kinda mass we'd be talking about, to be considered sufficient?

-Will

Something the size of a massive swamp.

ARTelevision · 10-10-2007, 06:24 AM

Just a FYT,

The most recent discoveries have placed the origin of us, humans, homo sapiens at 195,000 years ago. In the last few decades it has been moved back from 100 thousand to 130 thousand to near 200 thousand - based on discoveries of human remains.

Carry on...

Ustwo · 10-10-2007, 08:52 AM

Well really, oil itself is normally formed from aquatic microscopic diatoms and zoo plankton. Therefore humans are never and will never be oil.

Coal is formed from plant matter.

Really we mammals make bad fossil fuels, even if mummies were once used to power steam engines.

TARZAN · 10-10-2007, 10:26 AM

Learn something new everyday....was just wondering if I'd be powering somebodies personal space travel shuttle someday lol...

-Will

Yakk · 10-12-2007, 11:34 AM

Remember kids, the bacteria (and other unicellular organisms) own the earth's biomass.

Multi-cellular life is, all together, only a small fraction.

TARZAN · 10-12-2007, 04:19 PM

I've since realized that....I guess I needed to be educated

-Will

10-09-2007, 12:45 PM	#1 (permalink)
TARZAN Insane Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Memphis	Human Petroleum? I was thinking about this, and may have simply been thinking to hard....But I became curious.... Fossil fuels come from the decay of fossils, AKA dead organisms from long ago, right? So does this mean, if the world is around long enough, the area where large cemetaries are currently located could be potential petroleum deposits? -Will __________________ Life is nothing, everything.....and something in between...

10-09-2007, 12:59 PM	#2 (permalink)
MrTia Tilted Join Date: Sep 2007	i think that could happen over the fullness of time but i believe the process of organic material turning into oil takes millions and millions of years. also, the dinosaurs were running the show for more than a hundred million years, if my research in fifth grade is holding up, but humans have only been running around in any significant numbers for a few hundred. __________________ The height of cultivation always runs to simplicity. -- Bruce Lee

10-09-2007, 01:01 PM	#3 (permalink)
TARZAN Insane Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Memphis	Hence the reason I said "If the world is around long enough" lol. I also have no clue how much material it actually takes to bring about something like that. Didn't know if a large cemetery would be sufficient or not.... -Will __________________ Life is nothing, everything.....and something in between...

10-09-2007, 01:03 PM	#4 (permalink)
maleficent Junkie Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Chicago	Do I sense a remake of Soylent Green? __________________ Free your heart from hatred. Free your mind from worries. Live simply. Give more. Expect less.

10-09-2007, 01:07 PM	#5 (permalink)
The_Jazz Attacking at dawn Administrator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Chicago	Only if we keep burying the dead upon the dead. Oil deposits are generally former swamps or forests (on land or at sea) where biological matter stacked upon itself and was then covered by non-organic matter. I doubt cemetaries would have enough organic matter to create the same effect, at least from human bodies. The grass clippings, however, might make for a different story. __________________ The proud dad of Max since 2/15/06 and Andrew since 1/9/08! "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - B. Franklin "There ought to be limits to freedom." - George W. Bush "We have met the enemy and he is us." - Pogo

10-09-2007, 04:14 PM	#6 (permalink)
Ustwo Pissing in the cornflakes Join Date: Apr 2003	What jazz said. Not enough bio-mass. __________________ Agents of the enemies who hold office in our own government, who attempt to eliminate our "freedoms" and our "right to know" are posting among us, I fear.....on this very forum. - host Obama - Know a Man by the friends he keeps.

10-10-2007, 12:11 AM	#7 (permalink)
TARZAN Insane Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Memphis	Any idea, roughly, what kinda mass we'd be talking about, to be considered sufficient? -Will __________________ Life is nothing, everything.....and something in between...

10-10-2007, 06:24 AM	#10 (permalink)
ARTelevision I am we Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: USA	Just a FYT, The most recent discoveries have placed the origin of us, humans, homo sapiens at 195,000 years ago. In the last few decades it has been moved back from 100 thousand to 130 thousand to near 200 thousand - based on discoveries of human remains. Carry on... __________________ www.ARTelevision.com

10-10-2007, 08:52 AM	#11 (permalink)
Ustwo Pissing in the cornflakes Join Date: Apr 2003	Well really, oil itself is normally formed from aquatic microscopic diatoms and zoo plankton. Therefore humans are never and will never be oil. Coal is formed from plant matter. Really we mammals make bad fossil fuels, even if mummies were once used to power steam engines. __________________ Agents of the enemies who hold office in our own government, who attempt to eliminate our "freedoms" and our "right to know" are posting among us, I fear.....on this very forum. - host Obama - Know a Man by the friends he keeps.

10-10-2007, 10:26 AM	#12 (permalink)
TARZAN Insane Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Memphis	Learn something new everyday....was just wondering if I'd be powering somebodies personal space travel shuttle someday lol... -Will __________________ Life is nothing, everything.....and something in between...

10-12-2007, 11:34 AM	#13 (permalink)
Yakk Wehret Den Anfängen! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada	Remember kids, the bacteria (and other unicellular organisms) own the earth's biomass. Multi-cellular life is, all together, only a small fraction. __________________ Last edited by JHVH : 10-29-4004 BC at 09:00 PM. Reason: Time for a rest.

10-12-2007, 04:19 PM	#14 (permalink)
TARZAN Insane Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Memphis	I've since realized that....I guess I needed to be educated -Will __________________ Life is nothing, everything.....and something in between...