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1978 in paleontology

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1978 in paleontology

Paleontology, palaeontology or palæontology (from Greek: paleo, "ancient"; ontos, "being"; and logos, "knowledge") is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils. This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, fossilised faeces (coprolites), palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because mankind has encountered fossils for millennia, paleontology has a long history both before and after becoming formalized as a science. This article records significant discoveries and events related to paleontology that occurred in the year 1978.

Contents

Expeditions, field work, and fossil discoveries

  • A paleoanthropological team led by Mary Leakey found 3.5 million year old human footprints.
  • Baby hadrosaurs were discovered in the Two Medicine Formation.

    • Vertebrate paleozoology

    Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.

    Literature

  • Dinosaur Planet by Anne McAffrey was published. This novel was about a planet called Ireta that was populated by dinosaurs transplanted there by aliens attempting to preserve Earth's Mesozoic biosphere. Paleontologist William A. S. Sarjeant has praised the intelligent pterosaurs descended from Quetzalcoatlus in the novel as plausible.

    • References

    1978 in paleontology Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA