Fossils are the remains of plants and animals. Over time, these remains harden and become fossils. It takes a long time for this process to be complete. Many fossils are from plants and animals that lived thousands of years ago.
Fossils are created by nature. People do not have to do anything for fossils to be appear. The dead plants and animals that stay on top of the ground become fossils more quickly than those dead items that get buried. This is because they are protected from things that would break them down. When these parts are buried, ice, sediments, and other natural elements do not break these items down. This is why paleontologists can unearth huge bones that belonged to dinosaurs.
There are some places across the United States that have a lot of great fossil finds. One place is located in Elmo, Utah. At the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry, there are a lot of skeletons. Allosaurs skeletons have been found here. It is actually the place where the biggest collection of Jurassic bonds were ever found. Farther south in Glen Rose, Texas, the Dinosaur Valley State Park has gotten attention from around the country and the globe. There are actual dinosaur tracks that are huge and spectacular to see.
While many people love to search for dinosaur fossils, there are other fossils to be found too. In Arizona, there is the Petrified Forest National Park. Here dino lovers may find dinosaur bones or eggs, but there is also a lot of fossilized wood. That’s right – over time, wood becomes fossils too. While mammoths lived much more recently than dinosaurs, their fossils can be found in Mammoth Site at Hot Springs in South Dakota. This is actually a former sinkhole that is known to contain a huge number of mammoth skeletons.
Ultimately, fossils tell a story – a story about the Earth and its many living things. The changes that occur around the world can be pieced together one fossil at a time to better understand past generations and the animals and plants present during these time periods.
