Fossils
Latin- “have been dug up” There are 3 things that make a fossil a fossil: Organic- The remains or evidence of something once living. At Least 10,000 years old Preserved Ex: Stone, amber, casts
Remains or traces of life Remains ◦ Bones, Shells Traces: ◦ Burrows, footprints Can a plant be a fossil????
Less than 2% of all living organisms fossilize Need to be covered with sediments quickly
Tell us about our past Learn about organisms that are no longer living (extinct) Provide information from a time when humans were not around Helps with the study of evolution
Earliest bird in the fossil record Shows the link between dinosaurs and birds ◦ It is a bird but had many dinosaur like features: jaws with teeth, scales Lived in the Late Jurassic Period ◦ million years ago
Extinct fish 50 million years old Found in Wyoming
Marine animal Extinct Mollusc Found worldwide Range in size from a few centimeters to over 4 feet!
Extinct marine animal 250 million years old Arthropod Compound eyes made of calcite- they could fossilize!
Fossilized plant Fell into the mud and the mud turned to stone. Fern disintegrated, what is left is the impression