Fossils are remains of organisms that existed in the past geological ages. Traces of microscopic cyanobacteria as stromatolites, that lived more than 3 billion years ago are regarded as the oldest known fossil.
The people who study fossils are called Paleontologists.
They mention two groups of fossils. Body fossils and Trace fossils.
Body Fossils are remains of an animal or plant, like bones, shells, and leaves. Petrified wood, woolly mammoths caught in ice, and insects trapped in amber are all body fossils.
Trace Fossils record the behavior and movement of animals. These include footprints, burrows, trails, fossilized nests, and coprolites (fossilized feces).
Are Fossils important?
Yes, because fossils are direct evidences that evolution has occurred. Through them, we have an idea about the appearance of extinct organisms. These organisms are the ancestors of the living forms. Since fossils differ from each other, this tells us that a variety of life-forms existed in the past. We can also deduce how these organisms lived in the past, where they lived, when they lived, and the kind of environment they have lived in.
How are fossils formed?
Fossils can be formed without altering the organisms' form. These include quick burial in sediments and mummification. Hard parts of the organisms like bones are buried in sediments. The soft parts of an organism can be preserved by imprisonment in ice like what happened during the Ice Age to woolly mammoths, rhinoceros, and saber-toothed tigers.
Another form of mummification is preservation in Amber. Amber is formed from hardened resin produced by conifers. Ants and other small insects fall as easy traps for this hardened resin.
While paleontologists are still searching for more fossils. Most animals before simply decayed and were lost from the fossil record. This is true for the dinosaurs wherein only a small percentage that ever lived have been or will be found as fossils.
For my next blog, I will be discussing on how to know the age of fossils. I hope you learned something new from my blog.
Till next time, have a great day!
Regards,
@josealmergepegs