system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Eli5 what is tar and where does it come from or how is it made?

I know I must sound like a child, but I have always wondered. Like, is there a difference in the old-timey tar they used to waterproof canoes and the stuff they use to fix our roads today? What about the tar from naturally occurring tar pits? That can’t possibly be enough tar for all of our tar needs, so where is the rest of the tar coming from? Can anyone make tar? Are there tar factories? I have so many questions. Also, my flair may be wrong, apologies is so.
gpt
You're actually asking about three different things.

The tar used to waterproof boats and tar-and-feather people was wood tar, made from the roots and wood of pine and occasionally birch trees. 

A second type of tar, discovered in the 1660s, is coal tar. It is used, among other things, to treat skin conditions. 

The tar used on roads, however, is sometimes called mineral tar, but is more commonly known as asphalt or bitumen. It's derived from petroleum and can both occur naturally and be distilled. 

One of the biggest practical differences between bitumen and wood tar is that the former is a lot hotter. This is because wood tar starts to melt at 140°F (60°C) while asphalt/bitumen mix is often between 270° F and 325° F (132–163 C).