Fossil

prehistory · dinosaurs · science

Many kinds. Fossils can be bones, shells, footprints, hair, or even imprints of animals pressed into stone long ago.

Turned to stone. Petrified wood is a fossil where ancient wood slowly transformed into rock, keeping its woody pattern.

Trapped in amber. Sometimes tiny insects got stuck in sticky tree sap that hardened into amber, preserving them perfectly.

Story of life. All fossils together make the 'fossil record,' which helps scientists understand how life on Earth changed over time.

Missing link. A fossil called Tiktaalik, found in Arctic Canada, helped show how fish slowly evolved features for living on land.