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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 imprints of prehistoric organisms preserved in petrified form or as a mold or cast in rock. This field encompasses a wide range of disciplines, including geology, biology, ecology, and anthropology, and it seeks to understand the evolutionary history of life on Earth through the examination of fossil records. Paleontologists study various aspects of prehistoric organisms, such as their morphology, behavior, distribution, and extinction patterns, in order to reconstruct past environments and understand the processes that shaped biospheres over time. By studying the history of life on Earth, paleontology also provides valuable insights into the mechanisms of evolution and the origins of modern species.