How are fossils formed? Detailed answer

BIG ENCYCLOPEDIA FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS
Free library / Directory / Big encyclopedia for children and adults

How are fossils formed? Detailed answer

Big encyclopedia for children and adults

Directory / Big encyclopedia. Questions for quiz and self-education

Did you know?

How are fossils formed?

Fossils are the remains of animals and plants preserved in stone. Sometimes they look like shells, bones, scales or other hard parts of the animal body. Sometimes the animals are preserved whole. In the case of plants, these may be charred pieces of wood or a thin carbon film left after decomposition. Often come across and paw prints of animals on soft clay, subsequently hardened and turned into stone. When a living organism dies, its body does not completely disappear. The soft parts rot, while the hard parts are ravaged by wind and precipitation.

However, if the body is covered with sand or silt after death, parts of it may be preserved for a long time and after a long period of time turn into fossils. Most of the fossils belong to animals and plants that lived in the water. This is because, after death, their body sinks to the bottom, where it is quickly covered with a layer of sand applied by water. Gradually, the remains of the organism are buried deeper and deeper under sand and silt, the lower layers of which harden under increasing pressure, turning into so-called sedimentary rocks.

Sedimentary rocks accumulate very slowly, and the bodies of plants and animals buried in them undergo constant changes. The mineral salts in the water fill the tiny pores in the bones and around the shells.

After the shells themselves are destroyed, their prints remain on the stone. This process has been going on for thousands of years. On land, the dead bodies of living organisms can be under a layer of wind-blown sand or ash ejected from a volcano during an eruption. Insects and other small animals sometimes get stuck in the sticky resin. When solidified, the resin turns into amber and protects the corpse from destruction. Larger animals can be kept in swimming pools or in permafrost conditions.

Author: Likum A.

Random interesting fact from the Great Encyclopedia:

Why was the English king called the old brass nose?

The English king Henry VIII instead of making silver shillings began to mint them from copper, then covering them with silver. The silver quickly wore off, especially on the most protruding parts, which included the king's nose. Because of this, the king received the nickname "old copper nose".

Test your knowledge! Did you know...

▪ What is pain?

▪ How reliable are weather forecasts?

▪ Why did the Soviet censorship ban the Eastern song performed by Valery Obodzinsky?

See other articles Section Big encyclopedia. Questions for quiz and self-education.

Read and write useful comments on this article.

<< Back

Latest news of science and technology, new electronics:

Machine for thinning flowers in gardens 02.05.2024

In modern agriculture, technological progress is developing aimed at increasing the efficiency of plant care processes. The innovative Florix flower thinning machine was presented in Italy, designed to optimize the harvesting stage. This tool is equipped with mobile arms, allowing it to be easily adapted to the needs of the garden. The operator can adjust the speed of the thin wires by controlling them from the tractor cab using a joystick. This approach significantly increases the efficiency of the flower thinning process, providing the possibility of individual adjustment to the specific conditions of the garden, as well as the variety and type of fruit grown in it. After testing the Florix machine for two years on various types of fruit, the results were very encouraging. Farmers such as Filiberto Montanari, who has used a Florix machine for several years, have reported a significant reduction in the time and labor required to thin flowers. ... >>

Advanced Infrared Microscope 02.05.2024

Microscopes play an important role in scientific research, allowing scientists to delve into structures and processes invisible to the eye. However, various microscopy methods have their limitations, and among them was the limitation of resolution when using the infrared range. But the latest achievements of Japanese researchers from the University of Tokyo open up new prospects for studying the microworld. Scientists from the University of Tokyo have unveiled a new microscope that will revolutionize the capabilities of infrared microscopy. This advanced instrument allows you to see the internal structures of living bacteria with amazing clarity on the nanometer scale. Typically, mid-infrared microscopes are limited by low resolution, but the latest development from Japanese researchers overcomes these limitations. According to scientists, the developed microscope allows creating images with a resolution of up to 120 nanometers, which is 30 times higher than the resolution of traditional microscopes. ... >>

Air trap for insects 01.05.2024

Agriculture is one of the key sectors of the economy, and pest control is an integral part of this process. A team of scientists from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Central Potato Research Institute (ICAR-CPRI), Shimla, has come up with an innovative solution to this problem - a wind-powered insect air trap. This device addresses the shortcomings of traditional pest control methods by providing real-time insect population data. The trap is powered entirely by wind energy, making it an environmentally friendly solution that requires no power. Its unique design allows monitoring of both harmful and beneficial insects, providing a complete overview of the population in any agricultural area. “By assessing target pests at the right time, we can take necessary measures to control both pests and diseases,” says Kapil ... >>

Random news from the Archive

Device permanently turned off 02.10.2009

Many electronic devices glow red or green when turned off, signaling their readiness to turn on at any moment. However, in standby mode, each device consumes some amount of energy - depending on the number of such devices in the house, it can be from 5 to 13% of the total energy consumption.

In France, about 17 million kilowatt-hours are used annually in this way, which is equal to the annual energy consumption in Morocco. Therefore, the French company "Koksivatt" began producing a device in the form of a toy ladybug, which is switched on between the wall outlet and the TV and responds to the signals of the TV remote control.

When you turn off the TV, the "electronic economy", noticing a sharp drop in consumption, stops supplying current to its two sockets (the second socket allows you to connect auxiliary devices that normally work with the TV and also use standby mode - a DVD player, satellite receiver, digital decoder and etc.).

In the same way, all this equipment is turned on from the TV remote control. You save energy, although you lose two or three seconds, which are required to warm up the equipment.

Other interesting news:

▪ Conducted the coldest chemical reaction

▪ New passenger Ford Tourneo Custom

▪ Colorless non-marking coffee

▪ Siemens Gamesa wind turbine generates 359 MWh per day

▪ New models of Sony Reader

News feed of science and technology, new electronics

Interesting materials of the Free Technical Library:

▪ section of the site Radio - for beginners. Article selection

▪ article Reap laurels. Popular expression

▪ article When did the English language appear? Detailed answer

▪ article Head of the shop (section). Job description

▪ article Ivory whitening. Simple recipes and tips

▪ article The appearance of the dog. Focus Secret

Leave your comment on this article:

All languages of this page

Home page | Library | Articles | Website map | Site Reviews