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Biology - Fossils

Fossils

Fossils [1] are usually found in sedimentary rocks. (Why not in igneous
or volcanic rocks?) Relatively few individual organisms would become
fossilised as dead remains could be scavenged, decomposed or destroyed in
conditions unfavourable to fossilisation. Fossils of marine organisms are
more numerous than those of terrestrial organisms. These factors, with the
addition of varying chances of finding fossils, means that the record of
past life based on fossils is incomplete.

Fossils are used by palaeontologists [2] in proposing evolutionary
relationships between organisms. They also provide clues about the
prevailing climate and environmental conditions of the time by comparing
them with similar species in existence today.

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Links:
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[1] http://alison.com/#
[2] http://alison.com/#