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Test Your Knowledge About Fossils!

1) Which of these is an example of a fossil?
a. Preserved animal bones and shells
b. Imprints from a plant
c. Footprints from a dinosaur
d. All of the above

2) What is the name for a scientist who studies fossils?
a. Paleontologist
b. Volcanologist
c. Biologist
d. Meteorologist

3) In which type of rock are fossils most commonly found?
a. Igneous (volcanic)
b. Metamorphic (formed by heat and pressure)
c. Sedimentary (layers of sand, mud and gravel)
d. All of the above

4) Where have dinosaur fossils been found?
a. Antarctica
b. North America
c. Africa
d. All of the above

5) What should you do if you find a fossil?
a. Leave it where you find it
b. Call a scientist or park ranger
c. Take it home
d. Both a and b

View Quiz Answers.

Make a fossil!

When paleontologists find a fossil, they clean it and form a “mold” and a “cast” so they can make copies of it using clay. Try this experiment to make your own fossil at home or school.

What you need:

• White glue
• Modeling clay
• Natural objects (seashells, twigs, chicken bones, etc.)

What to do:

• Gather a few natural objects from outdoors or around the kitchen.
• Place one of them on a table or countertop.
• Shape a piece of clay so that it is about 1 inch thick. Place the clay over the object and press lightly. The object should not penetrate the other side of the clay.
• Carefully lift the object out of the clay so that the clay does not stretch or bend. There should be an imprint of the object in the clay.
• Fill the imprint with glue and let it dry.
• After the glue has completely dried, peel it out of the clay. You may have to clean or cut the extra glue from around the imprint.
• Repeat with as many objects as you would like.

What’s happening:

When ancient animals and plants died, parts that did not biodegrade, such as bone, became buried under layers of sediment (mud, sand and gravel) at the bottoms of oceans or lakes. The imprints they made in the mud were eventually replaced with minerals from the water. The layers of sediment eventually got so heavy that they were compressed into rock, and the fossils were preserved.

Find Your State Fossil

Many U.S. States have a State Fossil that is common in their area. Find your state fossil. Then, head to a state or national park to see if you can find it outdoors!

Activity based on Make a Fossil From Glue from Education.com. Image: a fish fossil found at Florrisant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado, courtesy of National Park Service.

Learn fun facts about fossils!

• The oldest fossils ever found are from cyanobacteria, a type of blue-green algae, from 3.5 billion years ago! Stromatolites, found in Australia, are colonies of these cyanobacteria that still live today!

• In 1974, scientists found fossilized bones of the human ancestor Australopithecus in Ethiopia. Named Lucy, the humanoid lived more then 3 million years ago!

• When ancient trees in modern-day Arizona died more than 200 million years ago, they washed into ancient rivers and were buried by sand, silt and gravel. Eventually, quartz and other minerals replaced the wood and were preserved in rock. This petrified wood can be see at Petrified Forest National Park.

Top image: Stromatolites in Australia, courtesy of NASA. Second image: “Lucy,” courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. Third image: Petrified Forest National Park, courtesy of National Park Service.

Check out these cool tips and tools about fossils!

Quiz Answers

1) d. Fossils are the remains or traces of ancient plants, animals, fungi and bacteria. All fossils are at least 10,000 years old. Scientists have found fossilized bones, teeth, shells, fur, eggs and even animal dung! Leaf impressions and footprints are considered trace fossils, since they leave traces of the plants and animals they come from.

2) a. A paleontologist study fossils to find out more about the history of life on Earth. Not all paleontologists study dinosaurs. Some study invertebrates (animals with no backbones), others study insects, and some even study fossilized bacteria! Paleontologists can get clues from fossils about how life evolved and what the environment was like millions of years ago.

3) c. Most fossils are found in sedimentary rock, which forms when layers of sediment (sand, mud and gravel) piles up at the bottom of lakes and oceans. Over millions of years, these layers trap the remains of dead plants and animals. Hard parts of their bodies like bones and shells are replaced with minerals and embedded in rock. The rocks can be revealed when water carries pieces to the shore, or when lakes and rivers dry up.

4) d. Paleontologists have found traces of dinosaurs on every continent on Earth, even Antarctica! Dinosaurs first appeared during the Triassic time period and lived on Earth for more than 180 million years. They became extinct 65 million years ago.

5) d. Hunting for fossils in your neighborhood or local parks can be fun! However, fossils are not replaceable and need to be protected. If you find one, leave it where it is and remember the location. Then, call a park ranger, a scientist at a local college or university, or a local geology association to help you identify it and find out how to protect it.