History of Planet Earth

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What are fossils?

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Fossils are the mineralized remains or evidence of plants and animals that lived long ago.

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Who studies fossils?

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A paleontologist is a scientist that studies fossils.

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What is an index fossil?

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An index fossil is a fossil found in different locations but in the same layer of rock.

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Which period is the most recent?

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The most recent period is the Cretaceous.

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Which period is the oldest?

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The oldest period is the Triassic.

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What is the Mesozoic Era?

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The Mesozoic Era is a geological era that lasted from about 252 to 66 million years ago, known as the age of reptiles.

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What are the three periods of the Mesozoic Era?

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The three periods of the Mesozoic Era are Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous.

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What is a trace fossil?

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A trace fossil is a type of fossil that provides evidence of the activity of ancient organisms, such as footprints or burrows.

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What is the significance of fossils in understanding Earth's history?

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Fossils help scientists understand the history of life on Earth, including how species evolved and how environments changed.

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What does extinction mean?

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Extinction is the end of an organism or a group of organisms, meaning they no longer exist.