We can define fossils as the remains of organisms like animals, plants etc. that are still preserved even after passing a long time to their death. In fact, fossils reflect the buried parts of organisms that were present on the earth, a long time ago. The majority of fossils that are found are of extinct animals. Here are some more facts about fossils.
1. Types of Fossils
There are two types of fossils called vertebrate and invertebrate. The fossils of those animals that had bony parts are known as vertebrate fossils instead of invertebrate fossils that are the remaining of plants and those animals have no bony parts.
2. Previously Recorded Oldest Fossil
The records of oldest fossils are still changing with discovery of new fossils. In recent past, the oldest fossil was recorded of a dinosaur that was present on the earth almost 228 years ago. The name of that dinosaur was Eoraptor.
3. Recently Recorded Oldest Fossil
After the discovery of another fossil that was recorded 230 million years ago, the previous oldest record has been changed. This oldest fossil is of prosauropod that is found in Madagascar.
4. Largest Recorded Fossil
The largest recorded fossils up to now are of Sauroposeidon. The estimation of length and weight of this fossil is 60 feet and 60 tons respectively.
5. Smallest Recorded Fossil
The smallest recorded fossil is of blue-green algae. This is also considered as the oldest recorded fossil of organisms that were present on earth about 3.2 billion years ago.
6. Smallest Dinosaur Fossil
The fossil of Microraptor that is one of the dinosaur specie is considered as the smallest dinosaur fossil that had size not more than a crow or you can say just 12 inches long.
7. Trace Fossils
The fossils that show any activity of an organism are called trace fossils. These fossils reflect fossilized feces, burrows and footprints that guides us about eating habits and living style of organisms.
8. Fish fossil
There are so many extent fish species are found in the form of fossils and the oldest one fish fossils are found in China at Cheng Jiang.
9. Fossil Fuel
It is a wrong concept that the raw material of fossil fuel is largest dinosaur, but fossils of very little organisms are used in manufacturing of fossil fuel like diatoms.
10. Use of Fossilized Diatoms
Fossilized diatoms are widely using products in making of toothpastes due to their scratchy effect for cleaning of teeth.