Dinosaur Fossils
What are fossils?
Fossils are remains of animals, plants, humans, and anceint life that are preserved in rock layers or sediment. Such as plants, skin, feathers and hair, most commonly found are bones, teeth, claws, and shells.
Where are fossils found?
Fossils are found anywhere that has layered rocks of the right age and type. Fossils are usually found in sedimentary rock which forms when sand, salt, silt, mud, or the calcium carbonate shells of sea creatures settle in those layers. These layers of different rocks are called strata. Finding the right strata requires a paleontologists to walk around and search for clues; fossils may be on the surface exposed or the rock may show signs of fossils underneath them, this is called prospecting. What kind of fossils are in the area depend on the location, type, and age of the rock. Once a fossil is found paleontologist dig around the fossil using tools like paintbrushes, awls, rock hammers, chissels, and other tools to uncover the fossil. When done escavating they cover the fossil in plastrue to protect it from damage when transporting it.
What can paleontologists tell from fossils?
Palentologist can discover various things from researching fossils from age, diseases, diet, enviorment, and injurys. There are different type of subdisciplines of palentology who unraveil these discoverys.
| Subdiscipline | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Vertebrate Paleontology | The study of fossil animals with back bones. Vertebrate palentologists discover and reconstruct the skeletons of dinosaurs, turtles, cats, and many otehr animals to show how they lived and their evolutionary history | vwrmp |
| Invertebrate Paleontology | The study of fossil invertebrates, which are spineless creatures. Commonly studied invertebrattes include snails, clams, squids, oysters, and shrimp | vwrmp |
| Ichnology | The study of fossilized footprints, tracks, and trails | vwrmp |