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Fossils

Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of dead organisms. They show us how living things and the environment have changed since the time they were alive. Fossils have been found in rocks of all ages, going back billions of years. However, most of the species found in the fossil record have died out or become .

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What is the fossil record?

Fossils can be found in surprising places and they can tell us about the past. We call all of the fossils we have found the fossil record. This record shows us how living things have changed from simple life forms billions of years ago. Not all fossils have been found and some may have been destroyed so there are gaps in the fossil record.

Watch: Looking at the fossil record

Understanding what we can learn from fossils.

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How fossils are formed

Only organisms that die in specific conditions will go on to become a fossil. In fact, the fossilisation process is incredibly rare as you will find out in this video.

Watch: Explaining fossilisation

Dig deep to uncover the facts about fossils.

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Stages of fossilisation

Fossils are made in lots of different ways. Here are some of the common steps:

Image gallerySkip image gallerySlide 1 of 6, , An animal or plant is buried in sand or mud.
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Activity 1: Order fossilisation

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Activity 2: Fossil record quiz

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Play our fun maths game Guardians: Defenders of Mathematica
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More on Evolution and inheritance

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