Paleontology

What is Paleontology?? Paleontology is a branch of science that studies ancient life forms and history of Earth by studying Fossils etc.

History of Earth: Earth has been around for a long time now; scientists today estimate it to be 4.5 billion years old. First Humans evolved around 1.8 million years ago. Numerous species have lived on Earth before getting extinct. The flora, fauna , weather and even the land mass on Earth has gone through many dramatic changes. But how can we know about the history of Earth if we were not even there? Paleontologists use fossils to aid them in researching the history of Earth.

What are Fossils? Fossils are the remains of ancient Animals and Plants, the traces or impressions of living things from past geological ages, or the traces of their activities. The fossil of a bone will have no bone in it. A fossilized object is actually a rock with the same shape as the original object, but it will have a different colour, texture and weight. This is because fossils are actually rocks!!

How are Fossils made? Earth is very god at getting rid of waste. As soon as a living thing dies, the process of its’ decomposition starts - the heroes of this process are bacteria. Fossilization is a very rare process, mostly found in sedimentary rocks.Fossils of hard parts (like bones and teeth) were formed as follows:

• Some animals were quickly buried after their death (by sinking in mud, being buried in a sand storm, etc.).
• Over time, more and more sediment covered the remains.
• The parts of the animals that didn't rot (usually the harder parts likes bones and teeth) were encased in the newly-formed sediment.
• In the right circumstances (no scavengers, quick burial, not much weathering), parts of the animal turned into fossils over time.
• After a long time, the chemicals in the buried animals' bodies underwent a series of changes and minerals replaced the chemicals in the bone.
• This process results in a heavy, rock-like copy of the original object - a fossil. The fossil has the same shape as the original object, but is chemically more like a rock!
  

Fossils help Paleontology in a big way. We know about Dinosaurs, and other extinct species solely due to fossils. TrackWays are footprints that become fossilized.



What are Dinosaurs? Dinosaurs were land dwelling reptiles that walked with an erect stance. The dinosaurs dominated the Earth for over 165 million years during the Mesozoic Era, but mysteriously went extinct 65 million years ago.

Dinosaur legs: upright position
Other reptiles: Sprawling legs

Dinosaurs Facts:
1. Most Dinosaurs hatched from Eggs.
2. Not all dinosaurs were giants – Some were as big as a chicken
3. Most of the Dinosaur were herbivorous. Only a few were carnivorous.
4. Many scientists believed that some Dinosaur evolved into todays’ birds.


Important Kinds of Dinosaurs.

Tyrannosaurus Rex also called T-Rex. Name: Tyrannosaurus Rex means: Tyrant Reptile (King)Interesting fact: Tyrannosaurus was the biggest and most powerful flesh eater that ever lived on earth. A grown man would hardly have come up to its knees. Its jaw was about 1.5 m long, with teeth that were 15 cm long and were serrated like carving knives. Tyrannosaurus needed a lot of food, so probably spent all its waking hours hunting for food.

Diplodocus
Interesting fact: Diplodocus was the one of the longest dinosaurs, it was about as long as a tennis court. Its brain was about the size of a hen's egg

Triceratops Means: Three-horned face. Interesting fact: Triceratops had a bony frill to protect its head, neck and shoulders. It's head was enormous, nearly a third as long as its whole body. Its curved jaw was very strong and like a parrots beak. Although it was a plant eater it was very fierce - even fighting with its own kind.Triceratops is the best known horned dinosaur. It had three horns: one on its nose and two long ones above its eyes.

Stegosaurus Means: Roofed Reptile
Interesting fact: The stegosaurs bony plated armour was to protect it from attack, but they also helped to keep it cool. It had a tiny tubular skull with a brain the size of a walnut. Its teeth were small, blunt and leaf-like. At the end of the tail there were four long spines, used for protection. Its hind legs were twice the length of its forelegs.

EXTINCTION OF DINOSAURS: Dinosaurs, and a number of other species that lived with it suddenly went extinct some 65 million years ago. Nobody knows for sure wht happened, but the most accepted theory is that major climate change, possibly due to an asteroid impact, and coming of Ice Age killed the Dinosaurs. However, many Paleontologists believe that not all dinosaurs died- some of them evolved into the modern day birds!!