Fossils: The Key to the PastThis introduction offers an explanation of how fossils are a product of our evolving habitat. The emphasis is on what paleontology is really about, how the paleontologist tries to find out the ways in which fossil animals lived and how geological processes have interacted with the history of life. |
Contents
PREFACE TO THE NEW EDITION | 8 |
TIME AND CHANGE | 25 |
THREE ROCKS AND FOSSILS | 38 |
SEVEN ORIGIN OF LIFE AND ITS EARLY HISTORY | 54 |
NINE DISCOVERY OF A NEW DINOSAUR | 167 |
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Common terms and phrases
abundant algae ammonites ammonoids ancestors animals areas arthropods Baryonyx beds bivalves bones brachiopods calcite calcium carbonate Cambrian Carboniferous cells changes claw climate cm long coal colonies Colour plates common fossils conodonts continents corals crab Cretaceous crinoids deep sea deposits Devonian dinosaurs early earth echinoderms environment Eocene evolution evolutionary evolved example extinct faunas fish foraminiferans forms fossil record gastropods genus geological graptolites habitats habits important insects internal mould Jurassic known large numbers limestone living look major mammals marine ment Mesozoic million molluscs nautiloids number of species occur ocean Ordovician organisms original palaeontologists Palaeozoic particularly period Permian phylum planktonic plants Precambrian present preserved probably reefs relatively remains reptiles ribs rocks sea floor sea urchins sedi sediment sedimentary shales shape shell Silurian similar skeleton specimen spines sponges structure surface survive suture teeth terrestrial Tertiary tiny Triassic trilobites usually valves vertebrates