A fossil is the remains of an animal or plant that lived long ago. Most fossils are buried in rocks and are found when they are dug up. Certain fossils have become useful to us in that they can provide an assortment of everyday uses to help in our survival.
Coal is probably one of our most important fuels, this type of rock comes from fossilized trees and plants that grew during the Carboniferous period. Vast swamp forests grew in low lying areas like mud flats. Much of the land surface slowly sank and the trees were buried beneath mud and sand in the sea water that flooded the forests. The trees then became compressed by the weight of the sediment above them, which turned into peat. When the sea receded more forests grew, and often they were flooded again and yet more peat was formed. Gradually the peat hardened and turned to coal. Several seams of coal are often found in such rocks and imprints of stems, leaves and bark may sometimes be seen on the flat surface of coal or on the shale, which is found nearby.
Oil is formed from the remains of millions of tiny sea creatures whose remains fell to the sea bed and were covered with silt. Gradually layers of sediment built up and compressed these decaying animals, and eventually over millions of years, they were changed into oil. Deposits of natural gas formed from these decaying organisms, and are often found above oil reserves.
Limestone and chalk are formed almost entirely from the fossil remains of coral, shells and skeletons of tiny creatures. Many of these rocks were formed during the Cretaceous period. Like many other sedimentary rocks, for example sandstone, limestone is used in building. It is also used in cement manufacture, and the lime extracted, is used in the fertilizer and chemical industries.
Fossils are sometimes found in marble which is metamorphosed limestone. The fossils are unrecognizable as they have been distorted by the heat and pressure that changed the surrounding rock.
Amber is fossilized resin and jet is a fossil formed of coal, both are sometimes used to make jewelry, and insects fossilized in amber are highly prized both as fossils and for their beauty.
So as our knowledge has grown, fossils have become more useful to us than just giving experts answers to our planets past, but has also become a very important part towards helping in our survival.
Coal is probably one of our most important fuels, this type of rock comes from fossilized trees and plants that grew during the Carboniferous period. Vast swamp forests grew in low lying areas like mud flats. Much of the land surface slowly sank and the trees were buried beneath mud and sand in the sea water that flooded the forests. The trees then became compressed by the weight of the sediment above them, which turned into peat. When the sea receded more forests grew, and often they were flooded again and yet more peat was formed. Gradually the peat hardened and turned to coal. Several seams of coal are often found in such rocks and imprints of stems, leaves and bark may sometimes be seen on the flat surface of coal or on the shale, which is found nearby.
Oil is formed from the remains of millions of tiny sea creatures whose remains fell to the sea bed and were covered with silt. Gradually layers of sediment built up and compressed these decaying animals, and eventually over millions of years, they were changed into oil. Deposits of natural gas formed from these decaying organisms, and are often found above oil reserves.
Limestone and chalk are formed almost entirely from the fossil remains of coral, shells and skeletons of tiny creatures. Many of these rocks were formed during the Cretaceous period. Like many other sedimentary rocks, for example sandstone, limestone is used in building. It is also used in cement manufacture, and the lime extracted, is used in the fertilizer and chemical industries.
Fossils are sometimes found in marble which is metamorphosed limestone. The fossils are unrecognizable as they have been distorted by the heat and pressure that changed the surrounding rock.
Amber is fossilized resin and jet is a fossil formed of coal, both are sometimes used to make jewelry, and insects fossilized in amber are highly prized both as fossils and for their beauty.
So as our knowledge has grown, fossils have become more useful to us than just giving experts answers to our planets past, but has also become a very important part towards helping in our survival.
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