Question

How do fossils show evidence of evolution?

Answer 1

Hint: Evolution is the modification in the characteristics of a species. It happens over several generations. Fossils are the preserved remains of ancient organisms. A fossil can preserve an entire organism or just part of one. Bones, shells, feathers, and leaves can all become fossils

Complete answer:
Evolution is a theory which explains that all species are related and gradually adapt various characteristics over time. Evolution is the change in the inherited traits of a population from generation to generation. Offsprings inherit traits from their parents but they also differ in several aspects because of genetic recombinations and mutations. These changes in the offsprings can be beneficial or detrimental. So within a given population, advantageous traits become common and unhelpful ones disappear. New traits can also come from the transfer of genes between populations via migration, or between species via horizontal gene transfer. These traits lead to the development and appearance of new species.

Remains of organisms after thousands of years get buried in the soil and become fossils. Evidence for early forms of life comes from fossils. The study of fossils is called palaeontology and by this scientists can learn how much organisms have changed as life developed on Earth. There are gaps in the fossil record because many early forms of life were soft-bodied, which means that they have left few traces behind.

By looking at the life structures of both current and extinct species, scientists can induce the genealogies of those species. This methodology is best for creatures that had hard body parts, for example, shells, bones or teeth. The subsequent fossil record recounts the narrative of the past and shows the evolution of structure more than a long period of time.

Note: Fossils show a movement of evolution. Fossils, alongside the near life systems of present-day creatures, establish the morphological, or anatomical record. Scientists can visualize the approximate date of fossils by radiometric dating. It measures the radioactive decay of certain elements.