GCSE Biology (AQA)

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The Fossil Record

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Inheritance, Variation and Evolution The Development of Understanding of Gentics and Evolution

The Fossil Record

3:19 Evidence for Evolution
Spec 4.6.3.5
Previous Fossils Next Incomplete Fossil Record
  • The fossil record consists of all discovered fossils and their estimated dates based on rock layers.
  • Fossils trace back to early ocean life, including bacteria, plants, and early animals.
  • Dinosaurs evolved as life moved onto land, existing from 245 to 66 million years ago during the Mesozoic era.
  • A major extinction event at the end of the Cretaceous period wiped out many species.
  • Surviving life forms evolved into modern animals, including mammals and humans.
  • Scientists date fossils by analyzing the rock layers they are found in, with older layers at the bottom and newer layers on top.
  • The fossil record supports Darwin's theory of evolution, showing simpler structures in older fossils and more complex structures in newer ones.
  • The fossil record has been used to understand the evolution of horses, from small, multi-toed creatures to larger, single-hoofed animals.
  • Fossil data helps model evolutionary relationships and construct evolutionary trees, aiding in understanding our connection to other primates.

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