What can fossils tell us about the animal and it's environment

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/education/geology/digging/fossils.html

Fossils can provide us with valuable information about animals and their environments. By studying fossils, scientists can deduce various aspects about the animal, such as its anatomy, behavior, and evolutionary history. Additionally, fossils can provide insights into the environment in which the animal lived. Here's how fossils can reveal these details:

1. Anatomy: Fossils preserve the hard parts of an animal's body, such as bones, teeth, and shells, allowing scientists to study their structure, shape, and function. By examining these fossils, scientists can determine the animal's size, skeletal structure, and even its diet. Fossilized footprints, known as trace fossils, can also indicate the animal's locomotion and social behavior.

2. Evolutionary History: Fossils provide direct evidence of past life forms, allowing paleontologists to track the evolution of species over time. By comparing fossils from different time periods, scientists can identify transitional forms, which provide valuable insights into the gradual changes that occurred during the process of evolution.

3. Environmental Conditions: Fossils are often found in specific rock formations, which can reveal important details about the environment at the time the animal lived. For example, the presence of marine fossils in a particular region indicates that the area was once covered by a sea or ocean. Fossils of plants and animals can also provide evidence about climate, habitat, and ecological interactions.

In summary, fossils serve as windows into the past, helping scientists reconstruct the anatomy, behavior, and environment of organisms that lived long ago. By studying fossils, scientists can gain a deeper understanding of the history and diversity of life on Earth.