Ask-a-Geologist #10: What Are The Remains Of Once-Living Organisms Found In Sedimentary Rocks?

Fossils are the remains or impressions of once living organisms that you can find in sedimentary rocks. There are two basic types of fossils that geologists and paleontologists talk about. These are body fossils and trace fossils. Body fossils are a real body part of an animal such as a dinosaur bone or a shark tooth. A trace fossil is something that shows evidence that something was there such as tracks, burrows, trails, molds, casts, and impressions.

Great Index Fossils Tell a Tale of History

Index fossils are very important to geologists because they help to tell the tale of our Earth’s history. Geologists use these specific fossils to determine the relative age of rock layers and to correlate those rock layers worldwide. Sound far-fetched? It isn’t really. Some fossils have such unique characteristics that if you find them, you know exactly where you are in the age of Earth. Good index fossils lived for only a short period of time but lived all over the world.

11 Tips to Help Kids Love Science

Teach children at a young age how wonderful and fascinating science can be and you will have a child who is a life-long learner.

Sedimentary Rocks

Sedimentary rocks are formed when sand, small pieces of rock, or mud are deposited as layers of sediment.