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Trace
fossils represent the activities of ancient animals. |
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There are two main types of fossils: body
fossils and trace fossils.
Body fossils include any
part of the actual animal or plant. Things like bones, teeth,
shells, and leaves are considered body fossils.
Trace fossils give us proof
of animal life from the past. Trace fossils include things like
foot prints, burrows, and fossilized poop.
Modern traces are all around us. Dogs leave paw prints in the
mud, you leave shoe prints in the snow, and the dirty dishes
you leave in the sink tell me that your belly is full.
Trace fossils provide palaeontologists with evidence of the
activities of ancient animals - something body fossils simply
can't do. Trace fossils are formed in place and can therefore
tell us about the ancient environment in which the animal lived.
One single animal can make thousands and thousands of traces
in its lifetime, but it will only leave behind one body when
it dies. Because of this, trace fossils are much more common
than body fossils.
Trace fossils are moments of time that have been captured forever
in the rock record. They are a celebration of life. |
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How
Does Something Become a Fossil? |
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Live.
Die. Get buried.
Well... it's not quite that simple. Most plants and animals
will not become fossils. They decay very quickly or get eaten
by other critters. If a plant, an animal, or a trace is going
to become a fossil, it has to be buried rapidly by sediment
(like mud). This happens in places like rivers, lakes, and oceans.
Over time, many layers of sediment build up and eventually turn
to rock. After more time passes, the layers of rock are brought
to the surface of the Earth by forces like earthquakes. The
overlying layers of rock are eroded exposing the fossils. |
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