When did people start using gas?

Natural gas has been used for thousands of years. In China, natural gas was used as early as 500 BC for heating and lighting. In the Middle Ages, natural gas was used in Europe for heating and cooking. In the United States, natural gas was first used in the 1800s for lighting and heating. By the early 1900s, natural gas was being used for cooking, heating, and industrial purposes. Today, natural gas is one of the most important sources of energy in the world.