Coal -- America was built in part from the black organic material. The Industrial Revolution was forged from the heat that coal provided, but the pollutants that belched from the numerous smokestacks that dotted the American landscape became an undeniable problem.
America moved on, latching onto the promise of another fossil fuel -- oil -- but with the instability of oil prices and the abundance of domestic coal, this other "dark fuel" is getting a second look while the world ponders its energy future.
Penn State researchers Jonathan Mathews and Harold Schobert are examining ways to burn coal more efficiently and cleanly. Watch the In Motion video here to learn more about their research.
Read the related Research Penn State article here.