1. Fossils …old dead stuff… How old is old?
Dr. Deaton > 5000 years = “fossil”

2. Fossils Fossil Paleontology
The remains or evidence of plants or animals that lived long ago.
Paleontology
The study of fossils

3. Fossils Why Study Fossils? Are Fossils reliable or biased indicators?
Indicators of past environment
Are Fossils reliable or biased indicators?
Animals with hard parts are more likely to be preserved
Insects-- most common animal life form -- only 1% of fossils
Some animals are mostly water - jellyfish
Earth Science perspectives differ from Life Science perspectives
1] Indicators of the conditions of past environments, and help to predict the future, & 2] help us to date things including the rock type the fossils come from.
i.e. scallop – 20 MYO scallop much larger than modern day scallop. Implies growing conditions/climatic conditions.
Relative dating = fossil evidence – GUIDE or INDEX fossils.
Absolute dating = Radiometric dating, isotopes.
BIASED or RELIABLE?? BIASED because it is incomplete

4. Fossilization Preservation Mummification Freezing Trapping
Drying out (often in desert environments)
Freezing
In arctic regions or high altitude image
Trapping
Amber (tree sap) or Tar image
Petrification (turning to stone)
Minerals replace animal parts image
FREEZING – frozen 10,000 year old man in Italy, frozen seed in Russian tundra germinates
TRAPPING – scientists have extracted reptile-like DNA from mosquitoes trapped in amber, probable dinosaur DNA.
PETRIFICATION – Cell by cell mineralization, quite literally turns to stone.

5. Trace Fossils Imprints Molds Casts
Animal tracks, footprints, or burrows image
Plant part imprints
Molds
Empty space left by plant or animal part
Casts
Mud, sand, or mineral fills mold and makes a cast
Coprolites -- Fossilized animal poop
IMPRINTS – can infer leg length, speed of travel, hell/toe plant, burrowing habits
Rudiodon laid the twelve foot poop (alligator-like reptile) found about an hour away from GSO

6. GUIDE or INDEX fossils Characteristics Widespread Abundant
Short Geologic Range
Paleontology – the study of fossils
Paleo – means old. ancient

7. FOSSILS IN SOUTHEAST Aurora, NC – 20-40 MYO
Decaying bacteria and sea creatures –
phosphate sand
COKE, food preservative
Siler City/Sanford area
Triassic period – great plant fossils
Seashells on the mountaintop
Coral reefs of KY

8. Freezing and Mummification

9. Animal Trapping Amber Tar Pit

10. Dinosaur National Monument

11. Fossil Tracks

12. Animal Tracks