What are fossils? Types of fossils Formation of fossils Finding and collecting fossils Excavating fossils Importance Australian Timelines Pictures Activities News stories For teachers

What is a fossil? Find out what a fossil really is.
http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/fossils/intro/index.htm

The fossils: What is a fossil?
http://www.abc.net.au/science/ozfossil/megafauna/fossils/default.htm

What is a fossil? Click on the 'Intermediate' or 'Advanced' tabs for more information
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/geology/fossil_intro.html&edu=elem

What are fossils? Find out what fossils are. Click onto the brown arrow at the bottom of each page to learn more.
http://www.sdnhm.org/kids/fossils/

Facts about fossils.
http://www.wacona.com/promote/fossils/facts.htm

What are fossils? Find out about fossils by reading some information.
http://www.zoomschool.com/subjects/dinosaurs/dinofossils/index.html

What is a fossil? An easy to follow explanation illustrated with drawings
http://www.unmuseum.org/fossil.htm

What is a fossil? Find out where the word 'fossil' comes from and more..
http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/prehistoric/what/index.html

Information about fossils
http://www.fossiel.net/informatie/information.php

What is a fossil and how do they form? An explanation illustrated with photos
http://www.discoveringfossils.co.uk/Whatisafossil.htm

What is a fossil anyway? An explanation
http://www.fossils-facts-and-finds.com/what_is_a_fossil.html

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) about Fossils. Find answers to questions that people often ask about fossils in Australia.
http://www.amonline.net.au/palaeontology/faqs/fossil.htm

Types of Fossils

Different types of fossils. Find out about the many different types of fossils to be found.
http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/fossils/intro/types.htm

Explanation of fossil types.
http://www.english.fossiel.net/informatie/glossary.php

Types of Fossils. Find out about the different types of fossils by reading the information.
http://www.zoomschool.com/subjects/dinosaurs/dinofossils/Fossiltypes.html

Life has a history. Fossils show us about living things long ago. Click on to these fossils to learn more
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/explorations/tours/intro/Introkto4b/tour7.php

What is an ammonite? Provides photographs and information on ammonites, how they evolved, how they lived and what the shell reveals of the creature that lived within.
http://www.discoveringfossils.co.uk/Ammonites.htm

Invertebrate fossils. Find out what they are, when these animals lived, and what happened to them
http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/prehistoric/time/index.html

Dinosaurs. Find out about dinosaur fossils, which include bones, footprints, eggs, skin, gastroliths (stomach stones), and coprolites (fossil dung).
http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/prehistoric/dinosaurs/index.html

Ice-Age animals and their extinction. Find out about a range a giant mammals, birds and reptiles that lived on earth during the ice-age
http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/prehistoric/mammals/index.html

Formation of Fossils

How do fossils form? Find out about the different ways fossils are formed.
http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/fossils/intro/form.htm

Origin of fossils.
http://www.english.fossiel.net/informatie/origin.php

How fossils form.
http://www.wacona.com/promote/fossils/form.htm

Online activities: Fossils. Describes how a snail might turn into a fossil.
http://www.rom.on.ca/schools/fossils/form.php

How Fossils Form. Find this out by reading some information
http://www.zoomschool.com/subjects/dinosaurs/dinofossils/Fossilhow.html
 

Finding and Collecting Fossils

Finding fossils: Where are fossils. Click onto the brown arrow at the bottom of each page to learn more. http://www.sdnhm.org/kids/fossils/ffwhere.html

Finding fossils. Find out how.
http://ology.amnh.org/paleontology/stuff/findfossils.html

Where to find fossils. Find out where to look
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002743/kcmwhereto.html

Where to dig. Find out what types of rocks are likely to contain fossils.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/trex/dig/

How and where fossils are found.
http://www.rom.on.ca/schools/fossils/collect.php

Where are fossils found? Read about the most common places
http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/prehistoric/what/wherefound.html

Collecting fossils. Find out where you can find fossils
http://english.fossiel.net/informatie/collecting.php

How to Collect Fossils. See what you need to start collecting fossils.
http://www.gsa.state.al.us/gsa/fossil_collect.html

Collecting fossils in New South Wales
http://www.amonline.net.au/factSheets/collecting_fossils.htm

Fossil techniques. Includes tips for where and how to get started on fossil collecting. http://www.lmpc.edu.au/Resources/Science/fossils2/pages/fossil_techniques/techniques.html

Collecting fossils. Read about the right and the wrong way to collect fossils
http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~gcaselton/fossil/collect.html

Excavating and Treating Fossils

Excavating fossils. Find out what happens to a fossil after it has been found.
http://www.zoomschool.com/subjects/dinosaurs/dinofossils/Excavating.shtml

Preparing fossils. Find out what can be done to a fossil to make it easier to see.
http://www.rom.on.ca/schools/fossils/prepare.php

How are fossils recovered from rocks? Find out how fossils are recovered and prepared.
http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/dinosaurs/sci-rock.html

Determining the age of rocks and fossils. Find out about relative and absolute dating
http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/prehistoric/what/fossilage.html

What can fossils tell us? Find out what information fossils can give us.
http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/fossils/intro/proof.htm

What can fossils tell us? Find out what important information fossils can give us.
http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/dinosaurs/sci-tell.html

The fossils: Why is the study of fossils in Australia so important
http://www.abc.net.au/science/ozfossil/megafauna/fossils/study.htm

Many groups of living things from the past have disappeared. Click on to the picture to see some examples.
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/explorations/tours/intro/Introkto4b/tour8.php

Paleontology. The Big Dig. Find out what paleontology is and why it is important.
http://ology.amnh.org/paleontology/paleodefinition.html

The beasts of Australia
http://www.abc.net.au/science/ausbeasts/history.htm

The fossils: Where can you find fossils?
http://www.abc.net.au/science/ozfossil/megafauna/fossils/locate.htm

Fossil sites of Australia. Check the map to see where fossils can be found in Australia.
http://www.amonline.net.au/fossil_sites/index.htm

Australian beasts - Fossil sites
http://www.abc.net.au/science/ausbeasts/sites/

Australian beasts  - Fact files. Find out about the Sterodopon, Tingamarra, Diprotodon and many more.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/ausbeasts/factfiles/

The fossils: Fossils at Naracoorte
http://www.abc.net.au/science/ozfossil/megafauna/fossils/naracoorte.htm

Australia's Lost Kingdoms. About Naracoorte. Read about the importance of the fossils found in the Naracoorte Caves.
http://www.lostkingdoms.com/snapshots/pleistocene_naracoorte.htm

Wonambi Fossil Centre. Take the virtual tour
http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/parks/sanpr/naracoortecaves/fossilcentre.html

Australia's Lost Kingdoms. About Murgon. Read about the important fossils scientists found in Murgon, Queensland.
http://www.lostkingdoms.com/snapshots/eocene_murgon.htm

Australia's Lost Kingdoms. About Lightning Ridge. Read about ancient mammal fossils found at Lightning Ridge. 
http://www.lostkingdoms.com/snapshots/cretaceous_early_lightning.htm

Australia's Lost Kingdoms. About Riversleigh. Find out about the fossil finds at Riversleigh.
http://www.lostkingdoms.com/snapshots/miocene_early_riversleigh.htm

The fossils of Riversleigh. Find out about the fossils that have been found at Riversleigh and view some photos.
http://www.australianwildlife.com.au/riversleigh.htm

Riversleigh. Find out about its fossils
http://www.abc.net.au/science/ausbeasts/sites/riversleigh.htm

Australia's Lost Kingdoms. True Blue Aussie Dinos. Find out about some of Australia's dinosaurs.
http://www.lostkingdoms.com/snapshots/cretaceous_early_dinosaurs.htm

Australia's Lost Kingdoms. Fascinating Animal Facts.
http://www.lostkingdoms.com/facts/index.cfm

Fossils Found in Australia. Find out about the different fossils that have been found in each state of Australia.
http://www.zoomschool.com/subjects/dinosaurs/dinofossils/

Ediacara Fossil Site. Find out about the fossils preserved in the ancient sea-floor at Ediacara
http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/national/ediacara/information.html

Ediacara Hills, South Australia. Read about the oldest known fossils of multi-cellular animals in the world, found in our very own state, South Australia!
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/vendian/ediacara.html

List of Fossils in Historical Geology : Precambrian. Look for the Australian fossils from Ediacara in this list and click on to the link for a photo and description of the fossil.
http://www.toyen.uio.no/palmus/galleri/montre/english/m_prekambrium_liste_e.htm

Ediacaran Diorama. This picture is a reconstruction based on what scientists believe South Australia's Ediacara Hills environment looked like millions of years ago.
http://www.mnh.si.edu/museum/VirtualTour/Tour/First/Early/early3.html

Dickensonia : Ediacara Hills, Australia. Find out about this fossil by reading the information and looking at the photo.
http://www.mnh.si.edu/museum/VirtualTour/Tour/First/Early/early4.html

The Strange World of Ediacara. Two other examples of Ediacara fossils. 
http://palaeo-electronica.org/1999_1/cover/cover3.htm

Archaeocyatha. See examples of fossils from the Ajax Mine, Beltana, Australia
http://www.yale.edu/ypmip/taxon/pori/10112.html

Archaeocyatha. Find out about this group fossils that have also been found at Beltana in the Flinders Ranges. Click on to the 3 buttons at the bottom of the page to find out more. 
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/porifera/archaeo.html

Archaeocyatha. Check out the pictures of Archaeocyatha found in South Australia.
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~wstoddar/archaeocyatha.html

The Plesiosaur. Find out about this amazing opalised fossil found near Coober Pedy
http://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/fossils/fgw2.htm

Ichthyosaurs - extinct dolphin-like reptiles. Find out about these fossils found near Coober Pedy
http://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/fossils/fgw3.htm

Gems from a desert ocean. Look at these beautiful opalised fossils.
http://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/fossils/fgw4.htm

Geologic Timeline. Go back in time with this Geologic Timeline. There are pictures of fossils for each time period that you can enlarge.
http://www.childrensmuseum.org/geomysteries/timeline.html

Geological timescale
http://english.fossiel.net/informatie/timescale.php

Geological Eras and Periods
http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/prehistoric/what/eras.html

Snapshots Through Time. Step back in time and find out about Australia's past from 110 million years ago to the present. 
http://www.lostkingdoms.com/snapshots/index.cfm

Pictures of Fossils

Palaeontology collection : Highlights. Look at these pictures of fossils from the palaeontology collection of the Australian Museum Online.
http://www.amonline.net.au/palaeontology/collections/highlights.htm

Palaeontology collection : Trilobites.
http://www.amonline.net.au/palaeontology/collections/trilobites.htm

New Trilobites. See the amazing new trilobites that have been found almost intact in Morocco. Click on to each trilobite.[After the file has downloaded you can click and drag the image to rotate the exhibit]
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/virtual-wonders/index2.html

Virtual Ammonite. [After the file has downloaded you can click and drag the image to rotate the exhibit]
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/virtual-wonders/vrammonite.html

Collection of Ediacaran Fossils.
http://www.es.mq.edu.au/courses/GEOS425/home.htm

The Stone Company: Fossils for Sale. Although this is a commercial site, there are some good pictures of a variety of fossils.
http://www.fossilcompany.com/fossils/index.html

Fossil Matching Game. See whether you can match the fossils with their modern relatives.
http://www.rom.on.ca/schools/fossils/game.php

The Mystery of the Broken Necklace. See if you can solve the mystery of the broken necklace.
http://www.childrensmuseum.org/geomysteries/necklace/a1.html

Fossil detectives visit the Museum. Go on this virtual visit and see gum tree turned to stone, a T rex skull, a giant wombat-like marsupial called Diprotodon and the extraordinary opalised skeleton of a plesiosaur.
http://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/fossils/detectives01.htm

Return of the Plesiosaur. Travel back in time and take a short, cold swim in the Eromanga Sea. Discover a plesiosaur hunting belemnites and collecting drop-stones. Keep an eye out for the ichthyosaurs!http://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/fossils/fgw8.htm#return

Junior Level Fossil activities from Museum Victoria. Things to make and do, and to write about. http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/dinosaurs/activ-jr.html

Middle Level Fossil activities from Museum Victoria. Things to make and do, and to write about. http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/dinosaurs/activ-mid.html

Fossil sea monster biggest of its kind. Read about this 15 metre long 'sea monster' found in Arctic Norway, which has dagger-like teeth in a mouth large enough to bite a small car.
http://abc.com.au/news/stories/2008/02/28/2175686.htm

100 million-year-old fish fossil found in outback Queensland
http://abc.com.au/news/stories/2008/09/01/2351921.htm

Fossil suggests platypus lived in dinosaur times
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/22/2143811.htm

Tiny marsupial is 'living fossil'
http://www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20082603-17095.html

Ancient crayfish fossils unravel evolution mystery
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/02/080208-crayfish.html

Australian 'Nessie' fossils found. Read about the fossils of two new species of plesiosaur that were discovered near Coober Pedy in South Australia.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/5220784.stm

Sea monster found in desert. Find out about this fossilised reptile that was found in Queensland.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s1375598.htm

Early turtle ancestor found. Find out about the 110 million year old fossils of several turtles that have been found in Queensland.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s1303111.htm

Tiger fossil site rewrites megafauna history. Read about the fossilised Tasmanian Tiger and two partial Diprotodon skeletons that were discovered in South Australia.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s353703.htm

Farmer's Fossil Find Excites. The Fossil is 560 Million Years Old. Read how a sheep farmer in Australia has discovered a fossil of the world's oldest vertebrate - the common ancestor of all animals with a backbone. 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3208583.stm

Ice Age Marsupial Topped Three Tons, Scientists Say. Read about the giant, wombat-like marsupial that roamed Ice Age Australia.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/

Oldest Human Skulls Found. Read about three fossilised skulls that were unearthed in Ethiopia. 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2978800.stm

160,000-Year-Old Fossilized Skulls From Ethiopia Are Oldest Modern Humans. Read another article about these skulls.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/06/030612090827.htm

Australian cave yields giant animal fossils
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/07/0731_020731T_Vmegafauna.html

More fossil news stories
http://abc.com.au/news/tag/fossils/

For Teachers

Fossil activities. Downloadable student guides for various year levels
http://museumvictoria.com.au/dinosaurs/activ.html

How do you become a fossil? Activity suitable for students from Years 1-6
http://www.nps.gov/archive/maca/learnhome/p08become.pdf

What is a fossil? Lesson plan.
http://www.bcarchives.bc.ca/School_Programs/dinos/what-is-a-fossil.html

Australia's fossil past. Background information for teachers
http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/fossils/

© 2004-2008 Jackie Miers Teacher Librarian South Australia Page Last Updated - September 2008