Jerry A. Coyne
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Until the 1820s, hardly anyone even suspected that dinosaurs had ever existed. In the years since, paleontology has sought to discover the entire history of life on earth, from the era of single-celled organisms up into the human era. Paleontologists continue to make remarkable discoveries, such as that a huge meteorite that fell in the Gulf of Mexico wiped out the dinosaurs—all except the birds, the only surviving dinosaurs. "Radiometric dating" can reveal the age (often tens of millions of years) of a rock or fossil or a tiny grain of pollen by measuring how much its radioactive elements have disintegrated. The study of molecules of DNA, RNA, and proteins has also become important for dating. Paleontologists often consult with geologists searching for oil, gas, and coal deposits, since all these "fossil fuels" were formed from plant and animal remains.
Examples of paleontology in a Sentence
Alia Beard Rau, USA Today, 10 June 2026
Professor Adrian Lister, a research leader in paleontology at the Natural History Museum in London, confirmed the tooth's origin after receiving an image of the object, according to SWNS.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 9 June 2026
The fossil is only made up of a few bones, but the length indicates that the dinosaur was likely a flier, said Steve Brusatte, a professor of paleontology and evolution at Scotland’s University of Edinburgh.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 4 June 2026
That overlap between the art world and paleontology would have seemed strange not long ago.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 28 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Paleontology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paleontology. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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paleontology
noun
