What is Paleobiology?
[[File:JurassicMarineIsrael.JPG|thumb|Fossil mytilid bivalves attached to a gastropod in shallow marine sediments of the [[Jurassic]] Matmor Formation, southern Israel.]] '''Paleobiology''' is a branch of [[science]] which studies [[animal]]s, [[plant]]s and [[microbe]]s buried in [[Rock (geology)|rock]]. These [[stone]]y items are called [[fossil]]s. Paleobiology combines [[biology]] with the study of these fossils. There are several branches of paleobiology: * [[Paleobotany]] – Study of ancient [[plant]]s * [[Paleozoology]] * [[Micropaleobiology]] * [[Paleobiochemistry]] * [[Paleoecology]] – Uses fossils to learn about how the [[environment]] was long ago * [[Taphonomy]] * [[Paleoichnology]] * [[Stratigraphic paleobiology]] * [[Evolutionary developmental paleobiology]] – Studies how animals changed over time ==History== [[Baron]] [[Franz Nopcsa von Felső-Szilvás]] started paleobiology in the late 19th century while working at the [[University of Vienna]]. He tried to learn how the animals lived, rather than merely put together their [[bone]]s, as many [[geologist]]s were doing at the time. [[Category:Branches of biology]]