Paleontology

fossils · ancient life · science · history

Fossils are clues. Paleontologists study fossils, the preserved remains of ancient plants and animals, to understand what life was like millions of years ago and how organisms have changed over time.

Extinction is real. A scientist named Georges Cuvier proved in 1796 that creatures could completely disappear from Earth, which was a shocking discovery that changed how people understood the past.

The name tells the story. The word 'paleontology' comes from ancient Greek words meaning 'ancient' and 'study,' and it was officially named in 1822 to describe this brand-new science.

Evolution shaped life. Charles Darwin showed how creatures evolved and changed over millions of years, and when you combine evolution with extinction, you can explain how life on Earth became what it is today.

Reading Earth's clock. By studying fossils and the rocks around them, paleontologists can figure out exactly how old different layers of Earth are and create a timeline of life's entire history.