Hi I’m Zac Bagwell. I’m in 5th grade. I like space, rocks and minerals, dinosaurs, and gaming. I think it would be cool to be a paleontologist because you get to dig up fossils and learn about the past earth and how it was. If you are a paleontologist, you might even find a new species of dinosaur!
Paleontology is related to one branch of the earth science which is geology.
Paleontologists dig up old dinosaur bones called fossils. Fossils aren’t just dinosaur bones though, other types of fossils are the result of: mummification, amber, freezing, petrification, imprints, molds and casts, coprolites, and gastroliths (Holt).
“Fossils are an important source of information for finding out about past geological events” (Holt 197). Paleontologists use these fossils to learn about the dinosaurs that lived a long time ago. The fossils even help them learn about how the earth was many years ago.
In 1796 George Cuvier proved there were bones of extinct animals from a long time ago. George was a scientist that studied organismal biology. He is considered to be the father of paleontology (www.ucmp.berkeley.edu).
How do you become a paleontologist? Paleontologists need a college degree and most paleontologists also need a PhD in paleontology, geology, anatomy, biology and stuff like that. Classes that paleontologists go to are in biology and geology. Knowing about the dinosaurs and how they lived and how they fossilize are important for a paleontologist to know(www.projectexploration.org).
I would like to find a Dimetrodon and a Stegosaurus because in my video game, “ Fossil Fighters,” those are my main dinosaurs I use in the game. The scientists believe that the Stegosaurus used its spikes to defend and cool down itself. Both dinosaurs look awesome.
Resources:
Allison et al, Mead A. Earth Science. Austin:Holt, 2008.
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/cuvier.html http://www.projectexploration.org/qa_library.html
