It takes millions of years to make a fossil. An animal dies. Its body sinks to the bottom of a lake. Sand and silt cover its body. The flesh rots away. Minerals seep into the bones and turn them to stone. The animal is now a fossil. The fossil is found.
How do we know about life in the past?
We find out about life in the past by looking for evidence. Fossils are one kind of evidence. They are the remains of living things that have been preserved. Objects made by humans, such as stone tools, are another kind of evidence.
Is it true? Plants can’t be fossilized.
No. Plants can become fossils, in the same way that animals can. By studying them we learn about the plants that once grew on Earth.
Who looks for prehistoric life?
People who look for remains of prehistoric animals, such as dinosaurs, are called palaeontologists. People who look for ancient humans are archaeologists. They find great things, such as bones, tools, buildings, jeweller and weapons.
Amazing! A sticky resin that oozed from pine trees trapped insects that landed on it. It hardened into a substance called amber. Prehistoric insects are perfectly preserved inside it.