How are animal fossils formed?

Animal fossils refer to the remains, fossils or fossil impressions of ancient animals, formed through millions of years of geological processes. The following are the main processes in the formation of animal fossils:

1. Death and burial: After animals die, their bodies are usually buried in sand, mud or other sediments to prevent them from weathering and gradually decomposing.

2. Compaction and compression: When an animal carcass is buried, the silt and soil on it will continue to increase, forming cascading sediments. These sediments gradually turned into rock formations over millions of years, deforming the body and making it harder through intense pressure and squeezing.

3. Mineralization: Over time, the organic matter in the animal carcass will gradually decompose, and the inorganic matter may be replaced by the surrounding water and minerals, forming a mineralized fossil.

4. Weathering and Exposure: Fossils may emerge from the ground if geological formations or climate change change, such as when a mountain collapses or a cliff falls.

It should be noted that animal fossils can only form under specific geological conditions, so they usually only exist in some specific areas and strata. At the same time, because the formation process of fossils is very slow and complex, fully preserved fossils are very rare, and many fossils may only be incomplete fragments or partial skeletons.

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