Why
This is a question asked at one time or another by many undergraduate geology majors. Many - probably most - young would-be geologists are drawn to the science by their love of the out-of-doors. They romanticize the life of a geologist as long episodes of mountain climbing and camping-out, with perhaps a tiny admixture of report-writing and laboratory work. Studying fossils doesn't fit in. So why study paleontology, anyway?
Well, one answer can be found in the subsequent history of these undergraduate geology majors. Eventually they graduate, go to work, or go on to graduate school. Either way, most of them develop (or already have developed) a genuine interest in the history of the earth and the natural processes that have shaped it. Incidentally, have they also have discovered that they spend far less time in the field (hiking) than they do behind a computer. But by then they don't care; they have turned into genuine geo-scientists. Now they appreciate paleontology, and wish they'd taken more of it.
Here are some of the reasons why.
Well, one answer can be found in the subsequent history of these undergraduate geology majors. Eventually they graduate, go to work, or go on to graduate school. Either way, most of them develop (or already have developed) a genuine interest in the history of the earth and the natural processes that have shaped it. Incidentally, have they also have discovered that they spend far less time in the field (hiking) than they do behind a computer. But by then they don't care; they have turned into genuine geo-scientists. Now they appreciate paleontology, and wish they'd taken more of it.
Here are some of the reasons why.
Earth History
Paleontology is essential for working out the history of the earth. The fact remains that, despite all our fancy laboratory-based methods of determining the relative age of rocks, fossils do it best. For instance, fossils are used throughout the oil industry to determine the age of the rocks encountered in exploratory drill cores. The age of the rocks in turn is vital to determining where the oil, if any, might be. Oil companies employ legions of paleontologists.
There is also much practical (as wells as theoretical) value in studying the environment of deposition of sedimentary rocks. Certain fossils indicate deep oceans, others suggest shallow water deposition, and still others require deposition on land. Some fossils (corals, for example) are an indicator of warm water. Thick-leafed plant fossils suggest cold weather conditions. Corals are found in ancient rocks in Svalbard (Spitsbergen), in the far north. This must indicate either a dramatic change in climate (from warm to cold), or that Svalbard was once near the equator (and thus the corals are evidence for continental drift). The first answer, and many instances like it, is important for the current debate about global warming; the second (continental drift) has profound implications for, among other things, the location of mineral deposits. The presence of thick-leafed plants in roughly 300 million year old rocks of Africa, Australia, South America, and India (and nowhere else) indicates not only that these continents (together with Antarctica) were once contiguous, forming a "supercontinent" called " Gondwana", but also that Gondwana was situated near the south pole. Again, this has important consequences for mineral exploration - and even more profound implications for the way the planet evolves.
There is also much practical (as wells as theoretical) value in studying the environment of deposition of sedimentary rocks. Certain fossils indicate deep oceans, others suggest shallow water deposition, and still others require deposition on land. Some fossils (corals, for example) are an indicator of warm water. Thick-leafed plant fossils suggest cold weather conditions. Corals are found in ancient rocks in Svalbard (Spitsbergen), in the far north. This must indicate either a dramatic change in climate (from warm to cold), or that Svalbard was once near the equator (and thus the corals are evidence for continental drift). The first answer, and many instances like it, is important for the current debate about global warming; the second (continental drift) has profound implications for, among other things, the location of mineral deposits. The presence of thick-leafed plants in roughly 300 million year old rocks of Africa, Australia, South America, and India (and nowhere else) indicates not only that these continents (together with Antarctica) were once contiguous, forming a "supercontinent" called " Gondwana", but also that Gondwana was situated near the south pole. Again, this has important consequences for mineral exploration - and even more profound implications for the way the planet evolves.
Biology
Then, of course, there are the biological aspects of paleontology. Much of the evidence used to refine the various theories of evolution is derived from the study of fossils. The fossil record unmistakably records grindingly slow process of change - punctuated by abrupt transitions- from small, slithering water-dwellers 500 million years ago, through charismatic lumbering reptiles celebrated in film and comic book, 100 million years ago, to the strange, often huge mammals that inhabited our Park just yesterday (say, 1 million years ago) - and finally, of course, to us, the undoubted Lords of Creation - until we go extinct in our turn. The fossil record - paleontology - presents us with the facts about how life has changed; how you interpret the facts is, I guess, up to you. (We in the PS have a decided preference for Darwin's explanation, as you might have guessed.)
Our Reason
But none of all this has much to do with why we in the PS study paleontology. We do it because it's fun. Finding fossils is exciting. Figuring out what they are is difficult at times, but if you get it right it can be greatly rewarding. And, of course, day-dreaming about what these creatures looked like, how they lived and why they are no longer lumbering around the Park beats the heck out of daytime TV!
Or working, for that matter.
Additional reading:
Epilogue to Fossil Treasures on our Fossil Treasures page.
Or working, for that matter.
Additional reading:
Epilogue to Fossil Treasures on our Fossil Treasures page.
Myrl Beck, Anza-Borrego Desert Paleontology Society, 2008
