Paleontology
Paleontology is the scientific study of life that existed prior to, and sometimes including, the start of the Holocene Epoch roughly 11,700 years ago. It includes the examination of plant and animal fossils, which are the remains or impressions of prehistoric organisms preserved in petrified form or as a mold or cast in rock. Paleontology seeks to reveal information about past environments, geologic time periods, and the evolution of life on Earth through the analysis of these fossils. The field encompasses various sub-disciplines such as invertebrate paleontology, vertebrate paleontology, micropaleontology, paleobotany, and paleoecology. Practitioners of paleontology are known as paleontologists, and they use a variety of scientific techniques to study fossils, including comparative anatomy, stratigraphy, geochemistry, and molecular biology. The knowledge gained from paleontology has contributed significantly to our understanding of the history of life on Earth, the processes that have shaped the planet over time, and the evolution of species, including humans.
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External Links
- [ucmp.berkeley.edu] University of California Museum of Paleontology
- [lakeneosho.org] Paleontology and Geology of Missouri - St Louis Missouri - Fossils
- [dinosaursnews.com] Dinosaur News - news about dinosaurs, prehistoric and extinct animals, fossils and paleontology
- [vertpaleo.org] Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
- [midamericapaleo.org] MAPS (Mid-America Paleontology Society) Sponsor of the Annual National Fossil Exposition
- [cmpb.net] cmpb : Centre de Minralogie et de Palontologie de Belgique - Center of Mineralogy and Paleontology of Belgium
- [Theropoda.com] The Schachner Lab at the University of Florida | Comparative anatomy, Physiology, and Paleontology