Fossils

Have you ever seen a fossil in rocks buried in the earth? It’s like finding a treasure. Fossils are remains of plants and animals that lived a very long time ago. For example, any dinosaur fossil that is found is at least 65 million years old.

Fossils tell stories about the past. Many of these stories are surprising. For example, fossils of sea life have been found as high up as the top of Mount Everest. This means that at one point, the rocks in Mt. Everest were probably under water. Fossils from plants in the rain forest have been buried deep in the ice of the South Pole.

The oldest known fossil is a tiny bacterium. These fossils have been found in Southern Africa. These fossils are said to be as old as 3.5 billion years.

How are fossils formed? Bones and plant remains begin to decay with time. But sometimes, the bones and plant remains are covered with mud or sand. This makes it possible for the soft parts to decay, while the harder parts (such as wood, bones, and teeth) last a lot longer. Eventually, these hard parts become hardened or petrified.