The reason they're called fossil fuels is actually a bit strange. Fossils are mineralized remains of ancient plants and animals. They're our primary way of studying life forms that lived millions of years ago. But actual fossils have nothing to do with any of the fuels. read more
Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons, primarily coal, fuel oil or natural gas, formed from the remains of dead plants and animals. In common dialogue, the term fossil fuel also includes hydrocarbon-containing natural resources that are not derived from animal or plant sources. read more
Fossil fuels are coal, oil and natural gas. They are called fossil fuels because, like fossils, they were formed a long time ago. Oil for example is a fossil fuel, it was formed millions of years ago as dead animals and plants died they formed a layer of dead stuff. read more
Because, like fossils of shells or plants which you can find in some rocks, they are old, often hundreds of millions of years old. read more