Paleontologist Definition
A paleontologist is a scientist that studies the fossil record to better understand life on Earth. For example, they examine ancient plant remains to learn about past environments.
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The Fossil Record
Fun Facts
- Paleontologists study fossils at the Western Science Center.
- Paleontologists found over 100,000 fossils near a Southern California lake.
- Paleontologists dig for fossils in sedimentary rock layers.
Why Do We Need To Know About Paleontologist
Paleontology helps us learn about Earth’s history by studying ancient life forms. Paleontologists are scientists who study fossils to see how life changed over millions of years. This helps us know more about biology and geology and shows us how the Earth has changed.
Paleontology is useful in many areas like environmental science, evolutionary biology, and museums. For example, finding fossils like the Tiktaalik helps us understand how animals moved from water to land. Paleontologists also help teach and do research by studying fossils like the Archaeopteryx and nothosaurus, which teaches us how diverse and complex life is.
Frequently Asked Questions
Check out the Full Lesson on The Fossil Record
In this lesson, we learn that:
- Fossils are evidence of past life, such as bones, teeth, and footprints.
- The collection of fossils in the Earth's crust and their placement in chronological order is called the fossil record.
- Scientists study the fossil record to understand how life on Earth has changed over time.
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