Unlock the basics of fossils with a clear, beginner-friendly guide.
This introduction explains how fossils form, what makes organic remains survive, and how scientists tell plants from animals across ancient life.
This edition lays out foundational ideas in plain language, showing the difference between living matter and the minerals that preserve it. It covers how fossils are found, preserved, and studied, and introduces the major groups of plants and animals that paleontologists explore.
- How organic and inorganic matter differ and how living tissue becomes fossilized
- What fossils reveal about past life and the conditions that preserved them
- Categories of plants and animals and how they are identified in the fossil record
- Practical notes on collecting fossils and interpreting early fossil evidence
Ideal for curious readers beginning a journey into paleontology, natural history, or earth science.