oil

A hydrocarbon-based, flammable, highly-polluting liquid formed as a result of millions of years of decaying sediment composed of dead microscopic animals. This fossil fuel is the lifeblood of our Industrial civilization, and for as long as it can be cheaply extracted, we are hopelessly dependent upon it for transportation, agriculture, electricity, fashion, chemicals, fertilizers, cosmetics, plastics, medical, and technological needs. Unfortunately for us, the geologists, analysts, mathematicians, and former oil-company employees have all repeatedly come up with proof that our oil supply will be almost gone by the end of the 21st century, and that oil production will peak within a few years from now, if it hasn't already sone so. After it peaks the oil will then become more expensive to extract than to use. And immediately after that, prices will soar, businesses will shut down, people will panic like animals, economies will collapse, wars will break out, blood will soak the ground, and billions of people will die horrible deaths as our species shrinks back to the population of the 1700s, or even that of Medieval times. All because of that cursed, smelly brown muck that was once found oozing from the round.