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A remnant, impression, or trace of an animal or plant of a past geologic age that has been preserved in the earth’s crust is called a fossil. Data from fossils are the primary source of information about the history of life on the earth. Only a small fraction of ancient organisms are preserved as fossils, and usually only organisms that have a solid skeleton or shell. Unaltered hard parts, such as the shells of clams, are relatively common in sedimentary rocks. The embedding of insects in amber and the preservation of mammoths in ice are rare but striking examples of the fossil preservation of soft tissues. Traces of organisms such as tracks and trails may also be preserved.
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Examples of fossil in a Sentence
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 30 Oct. 2024
Scientists are only now beginning to glean the evolution of these captivating creatures because their soft bodies are so difficult to preserve in the fossil record.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 26 Oct. 2024
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 13 Nov. 2024
More than 5 thousand fossil pieces Terror bird expert with Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024
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“Fossil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fossil. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fossil
1 of 2 adjective
fossil
2 of 2 noun
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