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What are fossils?
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Fossils are the preserved remains of animals and plants that lived long ago. Usually a dead animal or plant decays, but sometimes it may be buried before it has decayed. Over a long period, the minerals in the ground can replace the once-living substance and preserve the dead body or plant as a lump of mineral. Other fossils may be preserved as a thin film of the animal or plant's original carbon. Sometimes fossils are just animal traces, such as footprints. | | Some fossils show clearly what the ancient animal life of the Earth looked like. |
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Previous:
Back
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Book:
1001
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Section:
Earth
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Chapter:
Rocks and Minerals
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