How do scientists use fossils to interpret the past?

People also ask: What can fossils tell me about the past?

Fossils provide information about the lives of animals and plants in the past. Some animals and plants are only us known as fossils. We can learn how long human life has been on Earth by studying fossil records and how closely different animals and plants are related.

The next question is: How have fossils helped scientists understand the environment? Fossils can help us understand the Earth's history and show how living organisms have changed over time. The Earth's surface changes and shifts over millions of years. One example is that rocks which once covered the seafloor could be pushed up to create a mountain range.

People often ask: How can fossils be used for interpreting time?

Fossils can be used to "read the rock record," which is to say that they help us understand the earth's history. They can be used to determine the geologic environment and age (paleoenvironment) in their earliest occurrences.

What can fossils tell us that we don't know?

These fossils reveal what the planet looked like long ago. Fossils show how animals have changed over time and how closely they are related. Fossils don't give us all the information. Although fossils can reveal the appearance of ancient living creatures, they are unable to tell us everything about their color, sounds and behavior.