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Fossils

This category is for questions about the bones, fragments, imprints, and other remainders from a different time. The questions and answer you will find here are history set in stone -- our past, immortalized in solid rock. You will also be able to find questions pertaining to the locations of these fossils, how you might identify them, and how they were formed.

3,454 Questions

Why do fossils form?

Organic things get buried in locations favourable for the formation of fossils (stream deltas, ocean floor.) The mud (or whatever) forms a hard cast about the thing. The thing then decomposes and gets flushed away. The hole fills with a mineral the local water is rich in. This is a fossil.

What is index fossils?

are the remains of specics that existed on rath for short periods of time are the remains of specics that existed on rath for short periods of time the REAL defintion: a fossil known to have lived in a paritcular geologic age that can be used to date rock layer in which is found

There are not fossils of transitional forms or missing links is true or false?

False, there are many transitional forms in the fossil record.

Osteolepis

Eusthenopteron

Panderichthys

Tiktaalik

Elginerpeton

Obruchevichthys

Ventastega

Acanthostega

Ichthyostega

Hynerpeton

Tulerpeton

Pederpes

Eryops

Pedopenna

Anchiornis

Archaeopteryx

Confuciusornis

Ardipithecus ramidus

Australopithecus afarensis

Australopithecus africanus

Australopithecus anamensis

Australopithecus garhi

Australopithecus aethiopicus

Australopithecus boisei

Australopithecus robustus

Homo habilis

Homo rudolfensis

To name a few.

How can you extract fossils from limestone?

It depends on their size and chemical composition. Fossils closely akin to the limestone matrix in composition would need to be manually removed by use of dental tools, scrapers, or electric Dremel type tools. If the fossil has been replaced by silica, it could be removed by the application of acid to remove the limestone that surrounds it.

What is a person who studies fossils?

A Paleontologist is a person who studies fossils.

Good index fossils have?

wide geographic distribution and short geologic time range

What is the fossil watch called with water inside the dial and floating pieces I would like to buy the yellow vintage one I had during the early 90's on ebaythereisasimilaronecalledfashionintime?

I do not rcall what the exact name of the watch was however, I had one too. I still have it but the water is all murky and I lost the back. Check on ebay, you may find one.

Do fossils define earths history?

yes. It gives vital clues to uncover the events that once occurred on earth.

Is a fossilized bee hive common?

no - not common. corals are often mistaken for beehives. Check out "favosites."

Beneath a forest in the high mountains of Canada scientists found rock layers that contained uncovered fossils of tropical plants. What can we conclude based on this information?

# It was sedimentary rock. # They were below the tree line. # The rock layer was exposed. # They were able to recognize tropical plants of ancient origin. # The fossils were once live plants at a time in which a tropical climate existed. # The climate is different now than it was at the time the fossil plants were alive. # The area where the fossils were found was once closer to the equator than it is now.

What are marine fossils?

fossils are something like a plant or bone preserved in rock, then when the preserved thing finally decays there is an impression left in the rock. marine fossils are marine animals, plants, or shells (basically anything in the water, hence marine) that are now fossils.

Did all once living-organisms leave behind fossils for example the mammoth?

Not sure. If they didn't leave a fossil how would we know that they existed.

What types of stones are most likely to contain fossils?

There are three basic types of rock; sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic. Igneous rocks are formed by volcanic action and don't contain fossils. Sedimentary rocks are formed, usually under water, by eroded material accumulating. Metamorphic rocks are formed when sedimentary rocks are changed by heating and/or pressure. From this, you can see that sedimentary rocks are the most likely to contain fossils, although metamorphic rocks also can contain fossils. Any sedimentary rock can contain fossils, but some make fossil hunting easier. Shales and mudstones are particularly good; chalk is pretty much entirely made of fossils - it's formed of skeletons of small organisms, but its difficult to see the individual fossils.

How do fossils help scientist learn about plants and animals of the past?

By exploring what plants and animals are found in the same layer of sediment it is easier to determine the climate at that point in tame. Additionally, the precipitation of that era can be documented.

What is fossil calcification?

fossil calcification is when the calcium in a bone intergests and causes the bone to rott away. the calcium in a bone desintergrates leaving only the fossil behind.

Does fossils support wegeners theory?

Yes, because he found fossils from a fresh water lizard, in two different continents separated by salt water.

How do scientists put back together broken fossils?

all they do is make that shape out of a exsra bone and glue it back on like nothing happened.