Petroleum is quite possibly one of the most influential materials of humanity. This mysterious and pungent liquid once seeped silently from the ground, and drew the curiosity of ancient people who lit lamps, healed wounds, and sealed monuments with its dark sheen.
But over centuries, petroleum has evolved from a regional oddity into the lifeblood of global industry, war, and mobility. It has emerged from obscurity to become the one resource to shape mankind. Empires rose around it, economies boomed from it, and wars were waged over it.
How has this substance evolved to affect modern society so much? What did people originally use it for? And is it sustainable for our future? Click through this gallery to find out.