Why Are Fossils of Early Life on Earth More Rare

question 22

Multiple Choice

Why are fossils of early life on Earth more rare than fossils of plants and animals from the past few hundred million years?

• A)Life was far less abundant prior to a few hundred million years ago.
• B)Early organisms lacked skeletons and other hard structures that are most likely to be fossilized.
• C)Fossils could not form before there was oxygen in the atmosphere.
• D)We find fossils in sedimentary layers,and no sediments were deposited until just a few hundred million years ago.

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Definitions:

Individual-Level

Pertaining to or focusing on individual persons or entities, as opposed to groups or collectives.

Covert Observational

The act of observing and recording behavior without the participants' knowledge or consent, often used in research to ensure natural behavior is captured.

Group Fallacy

The mistaken belief that collective decisions or actions are inherently superior to individual judgments.

Interactionism

A theory in sociology and psychology that emphasizes the reciprocal effects of individuals and their environment on each other.