Guide Note
Remains or traces of prehistoric life that have been preserved are called fossils. Any type of organic matter can become fossilized under the right conditions and fossils may range in size to microscopic bacteria to large dinosaur bones. Items that are harder and denser, such as seashells, bones and teeth are more likely to become fossils than soft tissues.
Fast Facts
- Seashells are the most commonly fossilized items1
- To be deemed as such, fossils must be at least 10,000 years old2
- Provide evidence of evolutionary processes1
- Body fossils are the fossilized remains of organic life3
- Trace fossils are signs of prehistoric life such as footprints3
- The science of paleontology involves studying fossils
Formation
Since organic matter is naturally broken down by the process of decomposition after an organism dies, fossils will only form under specific conditions which prevent this natural decay.1 Most fossils are formed when an organism is buried under layers of earth. As the earth is compressed into sedimentary rock, minerals replace the organisms' natural matter to produce a replica of the original item in the rock. Fossils may also be created when organisms are frozen or buried during volcanic eruptions.3
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