Where Are Dinosaur Fossils? - By: Frank Vanderlugt

Many people dream about finding dinasour fossils, particularly
from big dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus Rex. Kids and adults love
to see the various fossils on display at many museums, imagining
what the creature was like when it walked the earth. Some
dinosaur fossils are easy to find, while others will take a
great deal of searching and care.

Fossils can be thought of as the remains of ancient life on the
earth. They can be made from bones, shells, teeth, and wood.
Sometimes actual hair, fur, or other animal material has been
preserved as well. Other things that are sometimes found are
eggs, leaf impressions, and footprints. The common factor for
all fossils is that they have to be at least 10,000 years old.

Before you head out into the field to look for fossils, you
should educate yourself on fossils and how to find them. You
don't want to damage any fossils that you may find so it will
pay to do some learning in advance. Visit museums, read books on
collecting, and join a fossil collecting club, if possible. You
may also be able to visit an actual dig.

One place that you can often find fossils without a lot of work
is on the beach. Fossilized shark's teeth are actually very
common on beaches around the world. This would make a great
introduction for a child interested in dinosaur fossils. Just
read up on the beaches where fossilized teeth are frequently
found.

On land, you'll want to look for sedimentary rock, made from
mud, sand, silt, and other materials. Water often carries
sediments and deposits them into strata. Looking for stratified
rock will help you find likely areas for fossils.

Two places to look for fossils include areas that have
experienced uplifting or erosion. Uplifting happens when two of
the Earth's plates meet each other and one plate goes up and the
other is forced down. This is the way that mountains form.
Erosion happens as water and wind wear away the surface of the
earth.

This means that places like canyons, cliffs, river banks, and
deserts are often good places to find fossils. Many prominent
fossil areas are protected by the government, but you can often
watch scientists on site or maybe even volunteer to help out.
Remember that fossils are important to understanding the past,
so you should leave a fossil in place unless you have a lot of
experience in extracting fossils from the earth.

When you're looking, keeping an eye out for unusual shapes or
textures in the rock. Anything that stands out from the rock
around it because of its difference should be explored further.
You should take your time looking for fossils and do everything
as carefully as you can.

If you find a fossil and know how to extract it, you should
always record information about where and when you found it if
you choose to remove the fossil from the surrounding rock. Even
with fossilized teeth on the beach, have kids record the
information. It's good practice and they'll feel like they are
doing science.

Finding dinasour fossils can be exciting for young and old
alike. Learn as much as you can and always remember to do your
best to preserve anything that you find. You can learn a lot by
volunteering on digs and by reading up on fossil finds.

Many people dream about finding dinasour fossils, particularly
from big dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus Rex. Kids and adults love
to see the various fossils on display at many museums, imagining
what the creature was like when it walked the earth. Some
dinosaur fossils are easy to find, while others will take a
great deal of searching and care.

frank j vanderlugt owns and operates
http://www.dinasour-fossils.com href="http://www.dinasour-fossils.com">2 Dinosaur Fossils