paleontologist
Ancient life researcher
A paleontologist is a scientist who studies prehistoric life through fossils—the preserved remains and traces of ancient organisms.
The work spans dinosaur bones, plant impressions, and microscopic organisms, reconstructing Earth's biological history: The paleontologist spent years excavating the dig site.
The field bridges biology and geology.
Act of unearthing
- dig siteArchaeological excavation location
- trowelFlat blade for spreading
- brushBristled cleaning tool
- stratigraphyStudy of rock layers
grid · sediment · layer · shovel · sieve · quarry · trench · mapping
Extinct segmented marine arthropod
- ammoniteExtinct spiral-shelled cephalopod
- amberHardened ancient tree secretion
- coprolitePetrified prehistoric excrement
- petrifiedSolidified or fear-paralyzed
ichthyosaur · plesiosaur · mosasaur · megafauna · mastodon · saber-toothed · paleobotany · mold
Systematic grouping by traits
- phylogenyEvolutionary relationships among organisms
- cladisticsClassification by common descent
- taxonomyScience of categorical arrangement
- morphologyStudy of structural forms
comparative anatomy · CT scan · dating · radiometric · carbon-14 · reconstruction · identification · systematics
Fast predatory dinosaur genus
- BrachiosaurusTall sauropod genus
- JurassicDinosaur-dominated geological period
- CretaceousFinal Mesozoic period
- TriassicFirst Mesozoic period
Mesozoic · Pangaea · nesting · trackways · feathered · predator · prey · skeleton
One who studies systematically
- professorSenior university teacher
- academicRelating to education or theory
- museum curatorCaretaker of institutional collections
- field scientistResearcher working outdoors
laboratory · publication · peer review · grant · dissertation · conference · collaboration · mentor
Early complex-life epoch
- CambrianEarliest Paleozoic period
- OrdovicianPaleozoic geological period
- SilurianPaleozoic period, mid-range
- DevonianGeologic period, 419-359 million years ago
Carboniferous · Permian · Cenozoic · Quaternary · Holocene · Pleistocene · epoch · era
excavation
Act of unearthing
stratigraphy · grid · sediment · layer · shovel · sieve · quarry · trench · mapping · screening
trilobite
Extinct segmented marine arthropod
- ammoniteExtinct spiral-shelled cephalopod
- amberHardened ancient tree secretion
- coprolitePetrified prehistoric excrement
petrified · ichthyosaur · plesiosaur · mosasaur · megafauna · mastodon · saber-toothed · paleobotany · mold · cast
classification
Systematic grouping by traits
- phylogenyEvolutionary relationships among organisms
- cladisticsClassification by common descent
- taxonomyScience of categorical arrangement
morphology · comparative anatomy · CT scan · dating · radiometric · carbon-14 · reconstruction · identification · systematics · homology
Velociraptor
Fast predatory dinosaur genus
- BrachiosaurusTall sauropod genus
- JurassicDinosaur-dominated geological period
- CretaceousFinal Mesozoic period
Triassic · Mesozoic · Pangaea · nesting · trackways · feathered · predator · prey · skeleton
researcher
One who studies systematically
- professorSenior university teacher
- academicRelating to education or theory
- museum curatorCaretaker of institutional collections
field scientist · laboratory · publication · peer review · grant · dissertation · conference · collaboration · mentor · specialist
Paleozoic
Early complex-life epoch
- CambrianEarliest Paleozoic period
- OrdovicianPaleozoic geological period
- SilurianPaleozoic period, mid-range
Devonian · Carboniferous · Permian · Cenozoic · Quaternary · Holocene · Pleistocene · epoch · era · period
- naturalistsCharles Darwin, naturalist, field researcher, botanist, Carl Linnaeus
- scientistsEinstein, anthropologist, Darwin, chemist, physicist
- PaleontologistsJack Horner, paleobiologists, paleobotanists, paleoanthropologists, fossil hunters
- geoscientistsgeophysicist, geochemist, hydrogeologist, mineralogist, petrologist
- ancient scientistsanthropologist, prehistorian
- academicsprofessor, course, university professors, math, professors
paleontologistzoologist
One who studies animals
ecologist · wildlife biologist · marine biologist · biologist · botanist