Fossils, Science Activity Game for Kids

This science game will help children learn and practice facts about fossils. Begin by reading all about the animal fossils below before playing the game.

David Martill was 21 when he first touched fish rocks. These rocks were traded by a collector who had just returned from Brazil for the fossils he wanted in England. Martill put the rocks in an acid bath, which slowly ate away the rock until Martill had a remarkable fossil. The gentle acid bath allowed fossils to be exposed, instead of being cut apart.
Petrified embryos
Scientists discovered fossilized embryos from dinosaurs dating back to the Late Cretaceous period. Researchers analyzed a small slice of eggshell to compare it with the anatomy of Tyrannosaurus Rex and other carnivorous dinosaurs. They concluded that the fossilized egg belonged in part to Oviraptoridae, a subgroup of theropods.
The best preserved fossils are embryos. These are the remains of unhatched organisms. These fossils are most common in the Cambrian which is home to an incredible diversity of plants and animals. Trilobites, which have hard parts, fossilize well, while worms, sponges, and worms rarely fossilize. These fossils are spherical and similar to embryos. They also show the entire development sequence. Some fossils date back to the division stage in the embryo.
Recent research by scientists from China College of Geosciences and the College of Birmingham revealed that a dinosaur embryo was found in a fossilized egg. Baby Yingliang is a 66 million year old embryo. To determine the type of dinosaur, scientists from China College of Geosciences and the College of Birmingham examined the embryo and fossil. The egg may be a toothless theropod, which is a type oviraptorosaur. Scientists can observe this type of dinosaur's behavior before it hatches.
Organisms that have been permineralized
Permineralization is a process by which organisms transform from an organic form to an inorganic one. Most fossils that contain animals or plants have signs of this. This prevents organisms' cellular space from getting denser which can lead to distortions in organ size relationships. Permineralization does not occur only in the hard bodies of animals or plants. Researchers studying the past may also need to preserve soft body parts.
This happens when animal or plant material is buried in sediments. This slows down the rate of decay. The buried materials are then deposited with minerals as water containing dissolved mineral. The deposited minerals eventually replace organic matter. Permineralization is possible in some organisms such as plants, bones, shells, and bones. Permineralization is a way to preserve these natural structures, as they retain their form during burial.
This results in a rich layer mineralized on the fossil's surface. These minerals can be either dissolved in rock or deposited within the cells of an organism. Because it preserves the soft body parts and maintains the organism's internal structure, researchers can study different times periods and environments. Permineralization preserves the cellular structure of an organism and is the simplest form fossilization.
Amber fossils
Scientists are discovering more amber fossils. Scientists didn't know how to locate amber fossils within rock layers until recently. Researchers have found a variety of amazing structures in amber using advanced microscopy techniques. These structures can look like simple fur or flight feathers. Even the color of fossilized feathers has been revealed. Amber fossils are some of the most well-preserved remains of ancient reptiles and birds.
These amber fossils date back to 99 million years ago. These fossils were made from ancient conifers, which grew in tropical forests. The thick resin preserved the lifelike fidelity and animals that were contained within. One group of amber fossils shows the metallic coloring of a cuckoo, which is a rare feature in fossil records. This discovery opens the door to new discoveries. Unprecedented insights into the evolution of dinosaurs can also be found in amber fossils.
Amber fossils are rich in microbial life. These amber specimens have not been tested for dinosaur DNA. The study of amber remains ongoing. AMNH boasts a famous collection of Cretaceous amber, which includes over 10,000 pieces. The museum has collections of Amber from Myanmar, Alaska, New Jersey and New Jersey. The museum is currently developing a database for cataloging amber fossils.
Clay fossils
For their preservation of organic matter, clay fossils have been studied. These early forms of life were protected in layers made from kaolinite clay. These clay layers prevented decay of living organisms including Cambrian soft-bodied animals. These clays are largely the oldest fossil record, which points to tropical environments, due to their preservation. Clay minerals are also capable of protecting organic matter from decay during cast-and mold fossilization.
The Kimmeridge Clay is a type Oxfordshire chalk that contains fossil squids. A unidentified sauropod is also found in the Kimmeridge Clay. Two locations have been identified as having the fossilized body of this large predatory mammal: Kimmeridge Bay, and Weymouth. Both deposits include fossils of Muraenosaurus tricatus. Clay has also been used in the creation of fossils for several other species.
These clays are known as erniettomorphs and are frequently preserved in siltstones and sandstones. These fossils could also contain finer-grained Quartz. This is because these fossils are low-grade. Fossil distribution maps can also be used to reconstruct the preservation and formation of these fossils. These maps allow researchers to assess the potential roles of clay minerals in early stages of fossilization.
Volcanic Ash
Water flows through volcanic ash deposits and dissolves glass shards. It replaces them with other elements. This creates void space and eventually, the water changes the silica content to make derivative minerals. Water also preserves bones and buried animals. The most well-known fossils found so far are volcanic ash fossils. This deposit is rich in prehistoric fossils.
The supervolcano's ash that caused the lava flow left behind remnants of fauna and flora, as well as seeds from trees and grasses. These fossils have allowed scientists to reconstruct the Miocene ecosystem. Extinct rhinos have been found with grass seeds in their stomachs and mouths, which suggests that grasslands existed during the eruption. They could also be found in volcanic ash deposits.
This is evident in the Jehol deposits of the Philippines. The fossils that were preserved from the volcanic eruption were laid out in a manner similar to the Pompeiilava flows. They also show evidence of pyroclastic flow, which can travel up to 50 mph, and incinerate nearly everything they pass. In 79 A.D., the Vesuvius eruption caused pyroclastic flows that reached temperatures of over 900 F. These flow instantly vaporized the flesh of Herculaneum as well as decimating the Pompeiiians.
Tar pits
Scientists considered tar pits a curiosity until recent years. Scientists believed that animals caught in tar were extinct. The discovery of Pleistocene mammal fossils has sparked curiosity in the area. Today, tar pits are the place where the remains of the imperial mammoth and mastodon, short-faced bears, sabre-toothed cats, and other Pleistocene animals were discovered. The pit also contains seeds, insects, fish, and other species of animals. The pit now contains extinct animals and plants, as well as life-size statues of long-extinct creatures.
Today herbivores are more common than carnivores in most ecosystems. However, tar pits found at La Brea preserve 90% of carnivores. While most bird fossils are predators and scavengers, there is also a large number of teratorns. These extinct stork-like birds can be found in the area. The area is home to some of the oldest fossils in the world, dating back to the Late Pleistocene, 40,000 years ago. Tar pits are home to disarticulated desert cottontail bones, fox metatarsals and bird bones. There is even a disarticulated Fox skeleton.
Other than fossils from tar pits there are also fossils of other animals. The La Brea Woman fossil is one of the most fascinating examples of tar pit fossils. This fossil shows that she lived around 9,000 years ago. Other than the tar pits fossils include those of coyotes and dogs, mountain lions as well as gray foxes, grey foxes and rabbits.
Quicksand
Quicksand fossils are fossils that have been formed from a layer sticky mud which has dissolved into a mass dinosaur bones. The area was surrounded with lakes during the cretaceous period. This would have made the ground saturated. The trapped Utahraptors attempted to grab a quick meal but were trapped in the mud. The deathly stench from the trapped Utahraptors is compounded by the bones of these dinosaurs.
These bones are a significant discovery in paleontology, geology, and geology. This is the largest fossilized raptor find in the world. It is possible that the raptors were trapped in the mud or drowned, possibly due to a powerful earthquake. They may have drowned, been starved or even been eaten by larger predators. Scientists suspect they were starving and died.
A huge block of quicksand was found with the remains of four juvenile Utahraptors and a baby Utahraptor. In the block were discovered four juveniles' skeletons and one baby Utahraptor. In the same block were also found bones from Iguanadon, a bipedal herbivore. Although the dinosaurs died at different times in quicksand, they all survived. This discovery highlights the importance quicksand fossils for the formation of our planet.