Book 5, Question 141
Same Age, Different Look! Why Can Two Fossils Differ?
Two fossils can be from about the same time but come from different kinds of animals. They might also have lived in different places or eaten different things. Being the same age does not mean looking the same.
More fun facts
- The kinds of plants and animals found as fossils change through time. Scientists call this the Law of Fossil Succession.
- Fossils in rocks of different ages differ because life on Earth has changed over time.
- Fossils from different environments look different, even when the living things lived at the same time.
- Scientists study fossils from many environments to build a full picture of life at one time in the past.
- Archaeopteryx is the oldest known fossil with feathers.
Sources: U.S. Geological Survey
Questions kids ask
What is the Law of Fossil Succession?
It says the kinds of plants and animals found as fossils change through time.