CultureAugust 8, 2026

paleontologists

PAY-lee-on-TOL-uh-jists

Definition

Scientists who study the history of life on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek 'palaios' (ancient), 'ontos' (being), and 'logos' (study), the term emerged in the 19th century to describe the scientific study of ancient life forms.

In the news

Paleontologists are the professionals conducting the research described in the article to uncover how extinct dinosaurs processed their food. Their findings provide the physical evidence necessary to reconstruct the evolutionary biology of ancient species.

Dinosaurs evolved very strange and unique strategies for digesting food and absorbing nutrients

Read the full article ↗

Earth.com

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