The Basics of Paleontology

While a lot of people know that Paleontology has something to do with dinosaurs, many concepts paleontologists utilize are not common knowledge. Let’s cover some of the basics with some common questions and answers!

Fossilization

Q: What is Fossilization?

A: Fossilization is a very slow process in which organic material is replaced by minerals.

Q: How does something get fossilized?

A: To be fossilized, the material must be buried before it has a chance to decay naturally. This cuts off oxygen and sort of vacuum seals the material away from natural weathering and any tiny microbes that would eat away at it. However, water can still move throughout mud and even rock, carrying with it trace amounts of minerals. Over time (like ‘millions of years’ long), mineral builds up in the shape of the organic material, slowly replacing it with a much more durable material. After a very long time, the organic material is completely replaced by mineral, but retains its exact shape.

Q: What kind of things get fossilized?

A: Any organic material (or part of a once-living plant, animal, or otherwise living thing) can fossilize, but the most common parts that successfully fossilize are hard and sturdy like bones, teeth, claws, shells, tree trunks and branches, etc. It is possible for skin, feathers, or hair to preserve as well, but this is far less common and requires very specific circumstances to occur.

Q: How can you tell of something is fossilized?

A. Generally, fossils are both heavier and more brittle than their non-fossilized counterpart and typically are some shade of brown. Say you find two bones that are about the same size: one is white, porous, and light weight while the other is heavy, dense, and brown. The second bone is likely fossilized.

Q: How do you even know if something is a fossil or just a plain old rock?

A: Sometimes, it is hard to tell! Fossil identification relies on knowledge of anatomy and of potential species in the area your searching in. For example, in Middle Tennessee, the fossils you can expect to find are small marine creatures like crinoids. If you know to look for crinoids, you are more likely to find them.

One trick paleontologists use to confirm whether something is fossil or rock is the ‘lick test’: if you touch your tongue to the object and it sticks a little, it’s likely a fossil. If not, its likely just a weird-shaped rock. Use caution licking things you found on the ground, and don’t blame us if you get dirt in your mouth!

Q: If fossilization takes a long time, do paleontologists ever find partially fossilized remains?

A: Yes! More recent fossils (think tens of thousands of years rather than millions) sometimes are found partially fossilized, most often denoted by a hard consistency and light weight.

Q: I think I found a fossil, but I’m not sure. What should I do?

A: Ask an expert! At Earth Experience, we perform fossil and rock identification free of charge. Send in a picture, or better yet, stop by the museum and let us take a look at your find.

Field Work and Fossil Retrieval

Q: How do Paleontologists find big fossils? How do they know where to dig?

Fossil Preparation

Q: What is fossil preparation?

A: Fossil preparation is the process of removing dirt and rock from collected fossil, and making any potential repairs once the fossil is clean. A person who prepares fossils is called a ‘fossil preparator’.

Q: How do preparators clean and repair fossils?

A: Preparators use lots of tools to carefully pick away rock and dirt, from small dental picks to air scribes (sort of like a tiny jack hammer) to sand blasting machines. Along the way they use stabilizing adhesives to keep delicate fossils from crumbling and strong glues to attach broken pieces.

Q: What does it take to be a preparator?

A: A good preparator needs patience, great fine motor skills, and a pinch of perfectionism. The fossil preparing process is slow and meticulous but very rewarding for someone who likes to see the final product come together after a lot of careful work.