fossil record

Cultural  

1. A term used by paleontologists (see paleontology) to refer to the total number of fossils that have been discovered, as well as to the information derived from them. (See evolution of Earth.)

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fossil record

New research suggests animals may have evolved up to 200 million years before they first appear clearly in the fossil record, challenging a key assumption scientists have used to estimate when animal life began.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 7, 2026

Ancient stars provide a different kind of evidence, acting as a fossil record of events that occurred billions of years ago.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 3, 2026

The average mammal disappears from the fossil record in two million years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

The fossil record includes spiders, flies, wasps or beetles, insect larvae, crustaceans, vertebrates such as fish and amphibians, and a remarkable diversity of plants.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026

I consoled myself with Granddaddy’s words on the fossil record and the Book of Genesis: It was more important to understand something than to like it.

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly

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