The fossil record is hard to interpret because paleontologists sometimes they find the remains of an entire organism or sometimes the find parts of a it. It's hard to explain a fossil because it could come in different shapes and sizes. Sometimes it can be the sand or the layers of dirt that covers the fossil that makes it so hard to interpret. Paleontologist have to be careful not to break the fossil when interpreting it. It is very hard to interpret a fossil when it's a small animal because the bones of the fossils are so small. But when interpreting a large animal, it takes long to explain it but its still very hard. They often have to build an extinct species from a few fossil bits- bones, shells, leaves or pollen. When paleontologists study a fossil they look for related similarities and differences between the fossil and living organisms. Paleontologists also have to determine the age of the fossil, which is really important.
No comments:
Post a Comment