• Lemmyoutofhere@lemmy.ca
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    2 days ago

    Coal only exists because the bacteria did not exist yet to break the plant matter down when those trees died. New coal can not be formed now that the bacteria exist.

    • cynar@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      It can be formed, just not in the vast quantities it was back then. It requires unusual conditions to stop fungi making a meal out of it, before it gets buried deep enough.