With their long existence, large number of species, and significant body size, dinosaurs have left behind considerably more fossilized bones compared to humans.
What are Fossils? Fossils are the remains and traces (such as bones, footprints, or hard shells) of organisms preserved in rock layers, serving as the primary subject of study in paleontology. The origin of the term “fossil” in English comes from the Latin “fossilis”, which means “to dig up.” Conditions for Fossil Formation Not every deceased organism leaves behind a fossil. The formation of a fossil requires extremely strict and challenging conditions, akin to winning the lottery. When an organism dies, its remains must be buried completely or partially in an ideal environment such as sand, mud, silt, or volcanic ash. If not, numerous external factors like sunlight, rain, bacteria, mold, and erosion will quickly destroy the remains, leaving nothing behind. How Dinosaur Fossils Are Discovered The likelihood of finding dinosaur fossils is as rare as the conditions necessary for living organisms to become fossilized. They are scattered across the globe, deep within sedimentary layers underground, but paleontologists cannot simply dig aimlessly to find them. Over many years, and through tectonic uplift, sedimentary rock layers containing fossils will be pushed to the surface. Over time, elements like sun, wind, rain, and snow will erode the sedimentary rock and expose the fossils. Most fossils will fall out, deteriorate, and disappear during this phase. However, if fortunate enough to be spotted by someone with a keen eye (such as fossil hunters and paleontologists), they can be excavated and brought back for study and display. Fossils are almost something that one can only encounter rather than seek out. |
