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ZoomDinosaurs.com
DINOSAUR FOSSILS
First Dino Fossil Discoveries What are Fossils? How Fossils Form Types of Fossils Finding Fossils Dating Fossils Excavating Fossils Bony Jigsaw Puzzles Famous Fossil Hunters
Fossil Locations Worldwide
North American
Fossils
South American
Fossils
African
Fossils
Asian
Fossils
European
Fossils
Australian
Fossils
Antarctic
Fossils


HOW FOSSILS FORM

Fossils of hard mineral parts (like bones and teeth) were formed as follows: Here's a flow chart of fossil formation:
Fossil Formation Flowchart

There are six ways that organisms can turn into fossils, including: Most animals did not fossilize; they simply decayed and were lost from the fossil record. Paleontologists estimate that only a small percentage of the dinosaur genera that ever lived have been or will be found as fossils.

Most of the dinosaur skeletons that are shown in museums are not actually fossils! Exhibits are often lightweight fiberglass or resin replicas of the original fossils.

Why are Fossils Rock-Colored?
Because they ARE rocks! A fossilized object is just a rocky model of an ancient object. A fossil is composed of different materials than the original object was. During the fossilization process, the original atoms are replaced by new minerals, so a fossil doesn't have the same color (or chemical composition) as the original object. Fossils come in many colors and are made of many different types of minerals, depending on what the surrounding rock matrix was composed of; one dinosaur bone (Minmi) is an opal.

Also, some fossils of skin (and other soft body parts) have been found. Again, the color of the skin is not retained during the fossilization process, all that remains today is a rocky model of the original.

ZoomDinosaurs.com
DINOSAUR FOSSILS
First Dino Fossil Discoveries What are Fossils? How Fossils Form Types of Fossils Finding Fossils Dating Fossils Excavating Fossils Bony Jigsaw Puzzles Famous Fossil Hunters
Fossil Locations Worldwide
North American
Fossils
South American
Fossils
African
Fossils
Asian
Fossils
European
Fossils
Australian
Fossils
Antarctic
Fossils


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