What kinds of scientists study fossils?

Suppose you are very interested in fossils, and want to be a scientist who studies them. What will that make you? The branch of science that focuses on fossils is called paleontology. Therefore, if you want to focus on the fossils themselves, then you should work to become a paleontologist.

However, many other scientists also study fossils. For example, geologists study fossils in order to help understand Earth’s history, biologists study fossils in order to understand evolution, and archaeologists study fossils and artifacts related to human prehistory and history.

Of course, most of us don’t study fossils for a living, but we still can be fascinated by them. The next time you visit a museum with fossils, spend a little time looking at a few of them. Picture the world they came from, and what it would have been like to see the creatures that made them back when they were still alive.