3 min read The Carboniferous period, part of the late ... world's first extensive coal deposits—coal that humans are still burning today. The growth of these forests removed huge amounts of ...

Dominated by carbon-rich swamps and forests proliferating across Earth's rocky surface, the Carboniferous period saw a boost ... what eventually became Earth's coal deposits.

First, it led to the creation of iconic "coal forests" full of giant insects in the Carboniferous period during the ice age. It also paved the way for the rise of reptiles in the Permian period ...