Why were canaries used in mines?

Player #53553731, While I agree with your sentiment, they were not used so people could simply explore. Coal miner's then didn't have the technology yet to detect dangerous gases.

yep poor little canaries!!

Player #53553731, if we hadn't done that we would be starving and cold! is this what you would like to have happened? I certainly wouldn't!!

What’s with the incorrect answers being so creepy? To have a “living soul” around… to navigate time? Is there something about Canaries I don’t know about???

baymax, also there would be no baleen whales in the sea. Mined hydrocarbons replaced whale oil as a common fuel.

Sting the genius wrote about this in 'Canary in a Coalmine'. Always loved the song but back then, I never quite understood the meaning behind the lyrics.

Should have known that also

I feel so sorry for the poor little birds who have to pay a very high price with their innocent lives on behalf of saving humans.

I just guessed and got it write