palaeontology
Meaning: The scientific study of prehistoric life through the examination of fossils, including the remains and traces of plants, animals, and other organisms.
Palaeontology bridges biology and geology, using fossil evidence to reconstruct ancient ecosystems and trace the evolution of life on Earth. Britain has a rich palaeontological heritage, from Mary Anning's discoveries on the Jurassic Coast to recent dinosaur finds on the Isle of Wight. The British spelling 'palaeontology' (with 'ae') differs from the American 'paleontology'.
Examples
- Palaeontology has revealed that Britain was once home to tropical forests and giant reptiles millions of years ago. 古生物学揭示了数百万年前英国曾拥有热带森林和巨型爬行动物。La paleontología ha revelado que Gran Bretaña albergó bosques tropicales y reptiles gigantes hace millones de años.古生物学は、数百万年前の英国にかつて熱帯林や巨大爬虫類が存在していたことを明らかにしました。고생물학은 수백만 년 전 영국에 열대림과 거대한 파충류가 존재했다는 사실을 밝혀냈습니다.
- The Natural History Museum houses one of the world's finest collections of fossils used in palaeontological research. 自然历史博物馆收藏了世界上最精美的化石标本之一,用于古生物学研究。El Museo de Historia Natural alberga una de las mejores colecciones de fósiles del mundo empleadas en la investigación paleontológica.自然史博物館には、古生物学研究に用いられる世界有数の化石コレクションが収蔵されています。자연사 박물관에는 고생물학 연구에 사용되는 세계 최고 수준의 화석 컬렉션이 소장되어 있습니다.
- Advances in CT scanning have revolutionised palaeontology by allowing scientists to examine fossils without damaging them. CT扫描技术的进步革新了古生物学,使科学家能够在不损坏化石的情况下对其进行检查。Los avances en la tomografía computarizada han revolucionado la paleontología al permitir a los científicos examinar fósiles sin dañarlos.CTスキャン技術の進歩は、化石を損傷せずに調査できるようにし、古生物学に革命をもたらしました。CT 스캔 기술의 발전은 화석을 손상시키지 않고 조사할 수 있게 함으로써 고생물학에 혁명을 가져왔습니다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: academic
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From Greek palaios (ancient), ontos (being, creature), and -logia (study of). Coined in the early 19th century, reflecting the growing scientific interest in fossils during the Age of Enlightenment.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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