Have you ever walked into a room and instantly felt freezing, or perhaps blisteringly hot — only to realize it’s 63 instead of 66, or 67 instead of 65? When the temperature is just a tiny bit out of balance, it’s commonplace to seek the thermostat — or those who are in control of it — and angrily change the temperature by a degree or two.
And, for a brief time at least, the temperature is perfect. That is until someone else comes along and does the same process, altering the temp by a degree or two and throwing the whole climate out of whack. This week in history, I’d like to look at the history of heat, and what we may have done in the past to keep warm as November firmly plunges temperatures below the 50 degree mark.
Now, as I have mentioned in the past, a major flaw in the “This Week in History” format is the inability to look at ancient history. When science can at best approximate something to having occurred around 200,000 years ago, it’s impossible to conclude, “well this thing happened on Monday, Nov. 27, 190,000 BC.”
Thus, when humans made use of fire in the Qesem Cave, modern day Israel, some 350,000 years ago, it would be impossible for that timeframe to be narrowed down to a specific day. Nevertheless, when early Homosapiens and Neanderthals made small campfires and perhaps roasted animals in the caves, they were some of the first to harness heat. I don’t think they would have griped about the temperature too much, so long as they were able to survive the tough climates around them.
It turns out that firewood, sometimes referred to as fuelwood or wood fuel, is one of the longest lasting resources in human history. The resource seems to have originated alongside established civilization — which, while hard to trace, is evident through various charred remnants as well as flint shards.
Well into the modern day firewood remains a widespread form of household heating, with it making up a substantial portion of modern fuel consumption — although it is often categorized as a biomass fuel, as other natural energy sources serve a similar purpose, such as peat.
Consequently, while burning firewood is seen as a cozy tradition in older homes that still have brick chimneys today, in much of history — and still throughout much of the world — it remains essential to the heating of homes for survival. So, every day of this week in history, someone, somewhere was burning wood.
Regardless, in the early 19th century, the millennia of wood-dominated energy consumption finally came to be questioned with the introduction of a few new technologies, the first of which was the gas stove. While it originated in different forms and in different regions, the German inventor Zachäus Winzler seems to have first designed a successful gas stove, or at least used it for cooking. By the 1840s more commercial stoves would come about in England.
Remarkably, initial reactions to gas-energy were quite apprehensive. Many used gas for other purposes and preferred wood or coal as a heat source, so companies were very controlling over its consumption. According to The National Gas Museum in Leicester, England, “The use of gas for purposes other than lighting was slow to gain public acceptance. This was not helped by the fact that many gas companies prohibited the use of gas during the day.”
So, at least in the 19th century, every day of this week in history, someone, somewhere was burning gas.
In general then, wood was still commonplace as gas entered the scene — but one other unaddressed major alternative is coal. Entering the mainstream in the 1880s, coal became a major fuel source on a large scale — although the Han Chinese seem to have used it far earlier.
Coal soon overtook firewood at around the onset of the 20th century, remaining the second largest energy source by consumption across the globe in the 2000s. Coal and firewood would both eventually be surpassed by resources we have today, including petroleum, natural gas and even the arrival of nuclear alternatives. Regardless, many homes still rely on wood, making up a sizable percentage of the modern day heating market.
So that brings us to today, back to the scenario where the thermostat is off by a few degrees and the world is not quite right. I suppose we should be grateful that this week in history, many of us are fortunate enough to have some sort of fuel source to keep us warm, so remember, many still don’t. If able, consider supporting both local and national organizations that help provide for those in need — maybe some future This Week in History article can comment on the rising rates of comfort and warmth for those who need it.
And with that, the history of heating comes to a close. Hopefully this little diversion from the ordinary structure of the column wasn’t too hard to follow! Next week will be a return to the usual structure of dates within the week. Stay warm!