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Science Forum Index » Anthropology - Paleo Forum » TOBS: What are Fossils
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| Zhadow |
 Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 3:24 pm |
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FOSSILS are the remains of ancient forms of life preserved in the
earth's crust. These may be skeletons or parts of them such as bones,
teeth or shells. A fossil also may be some trace of the activity of
what was once alive, such as an imprint or trail. Many fossils no
longer contain their original material but are made up of mineral
deposits that have infiltrated them and have taken on their shape. |
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| Bob |
| Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 1:26 am |
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On Jan 27, 1:24 pm, "Zhadow" <geis...@mailinator.com> wrote:
Quote: Many fossils no longer contain their original material but are
made up of mineral deposits that have infiltrated them and have
taken on their shape.
Which brings up a few questions to this amateur. Like: you find a few
"bones" (nothing but mineral deposits in the shape of bones). So how
can you accredit these fossils to a particular animal? For example, a
few obvious rib "bones" of a size that could be estimated to belong to
an animal weighing 100-150 lbs. That could apply to hundreds, perhaps
thousands, of animals in various stages of development. So how could
one say what species those fossils came from? A skull is easy, but
what of other fossilized body parts? |
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| deowll |
| Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 12:38 am |
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"Bob" <bohica610@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1170221179.647209.8420@v33g2000cwv.googlegroups.com...
Quote: On Jan 27, 1:24 pm, "Zhadow" <geis...@mailinator.com> wrote:
Many fossils no longer contain their original material but are
made up of mineral deposits that have infiltrated them and have
taken on their shape.
Which brings up a few questions to this amateur. Like: you find a few
"bones" (nothing but mineral deposits in the shape of bones). So how
can you accredit these fossils to a particular animal? For example, a
few obvious rib "bones" of a size that could be estimated to belong to
an animal weighing 100-150 lbs. That could apply to hundreds, perhaps
thousands, of animals in various stages of development. So how could
one say what species those fossils came from? A skull is easy, but
what of other fossilized body parts?
Sometimes you don't. For every good fossil that is going to tell you
something there is truck load that isn't. I have or had a fragment of rib
from some sort of moderately large sea animal. It was still lev'er rite.
Leave right where you found it because it is going to tell you jack. |
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