DIY Fossils | Viewer Challenge
Have you ever wondered how fossils were made? Matteo and Emilio complete the Compact Science Viewer Challenge for the “Exploring WNY's Devonian Past” episode exploring the process of fossilization.
It’s hard to make your own, real fossils. If you had your own dinosaur, first you’d have to bury it in layers and layers of dirt. Then, make sure there are no pockets in the sediment where air and water can reach the rock, and then wait tens of thousands of years. Voilà! You have fossilized dinosaur bones and teeth!
Most fossils are formed when a plant or animal dies in a watery environment and then is rapidly buried in mud and silt. The soft parts of the plants and animals break down leaving the hard bones or shells behind. Over time, small particles called sediment build up over the top and harden into rock. These clues of the remains of these animals and plants are preserved for scientists to find thousands of years later. These types of fossils are called body fossils. Sometimes only the activity of the plants and animals are left behind. These types of fossils are called trace fossils. Think about footprints, burrows, trails, food remains etc.
Be sure to watch the Compact Science episode- Explore Western New York’s Devonian Past to learn more about fossils from an ancient undersea environment that existed nearly 400 million years ago.
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