Wie die Kohle ins Ruhrgebiet kam | Terra X plus

Summary

This video explains how coal, once called 'black gold,' was formed in Germany and fueled the growth of the Ruhr region's steel and heavy industries. It explores the geological period 300 million years ago, known as the Carboniferous, when dense tropical forests grew in a hot, humid climate. Over millions of years, plant matter sank into swamps and was transformed into peat, brown coal, and finally hard coal due to pressure and heat. This coal powered Germany's industrialization, but with coal mining ending in 2018, the focus has shifted to reducing coal use for climate protection.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Coal in Germany is referred to as 'black gold' and made the Ruhr area wealthy.
• 🏗️ Around 150 years ago, cities near the rivers Ruhr and Rhine became the heart of Germany's steel and heavy industries.
• 🔥 Steel and iron production requires extremely high temperatures, often between 1000 and 2000 degrees Celsius, which was powered by coal.
• ⛏️ Coal formed deep underground from plant matter during the Carboniferous period, over 300 million years ago.
• 🌳 In the Carboniferous era, tropical forests thrived in what is now Germany, with massive plants and giant insects due to higher oxygen levels.
• ⚡ Frequent wildfires occurred due to the oxygen-rich atmosphere, but new forests grew after each disaster.
• 🌊 Sinking land and repeated flooding buried these forests underwater, where they transformed into coal over millions of years due to pressure and heat.
• ⛓️ Coal drove Germany's industrialization, particularly in the Ruhr region, which became a major site for heavy industry and mining.
• 🚂 By 2018, Germany had extracted billions of tons of coal, but the country has since phased out coal mining to reduce climate impact.
• 🏭 Many old coal mines are now preserved as industrial monuments, showcasing the legacy of Germany's coal-driven industrial era.