Fossils: Clues to the Past January 29, 2009

In the heart of the Rocky Mountain region, Colorado contains a great variety of fossils of ancient organisms that lived in many environments over millions of years. Together with the rocks they are found in, fossils provide clues to an ancient and important story -- the history of life on your planet. Based in both biology and geology, paleontology is the study of fossils -- evidence of ancient life preserved in rocks. Paleontologists tackle questions such as -- How has life changed and evolved through time? Where do today's plants and animals come from? What did ancient plants and animals look like? What causes species to disappear or go extinct? How has the environment changed through time? Understanding the past is a key to understanding the present and future impacts of environmental change on life on Earth, including yourself.