Thous
ands of fossils have been gathered and dated by paleontologists worldwide. These fossils include large complete skeletons, partial skeletons, plants, impressions, footprints, eggs, insects enclosed in amber, tools, and even animal droppings. These fossils show that organisms of yesterday are different from those that are here today.
The fossil record also shows us that major climatic and geography changes have occurred. Finding sharks teeth in the Arizona desert, fossils of sea dwellers on mountain tops, and tropical plant fossils in Antarctica verify plate tectonic ideas.
Fossils also show us that evolution does not start over by creating totally new major structures that have already been developed. We see transitional fossils between major groups of vertebrates (see transitional fossil FAQ) showing modification of already existing features.
To obtain a linked graphic summary of the fossil record and geologic time click here.
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