Paleontology
Paleontology or
palaeontology is the scientific study of life existent prior to, but sometimes including, the start of the Holocene Epoch. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments. Paleontological observations have been documented as far back as the 5th century BC. The science became established in the 18th century as a result of Georges Cuvier's work on comparative anatomy, and developed rapidly in the 19th century. The term itself originates from Greek παλαιός,
palaios, i.e. "old, ancient", ὄν,
on, i.e. "being, creature" and λόγος,
logos, i.e. "speech, thought, study". Paleontology lies on the border between biology and geology, but differs from archaeology in that it excludes the study of morphologically modern humans. It now uses techniques drawn from a wide range of sciences, including biochemistry, mathematics and engineering.