Coal was king of the Industrial Revolution, but not always the path to a modern economy

As the world moves to combat climate change, it\u27s increasingly doubtful that coal will continue to be a viable energy source, because of its high greenhouse gas emissions. But coal played a vital role in the Industrial Revolution and continues to fuel some of the world\u27s largest economies. This series looks at coal\u27s past, present and uncertain future, starting today with how it\u27s formed