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Whose observations first explained the origin of fossils in rock layers?
Earth ScienceStratigraphy
Quick Answer
Nicolaus Steno laid the foundations of stratigraphy in the 17th century. He showed that fossils are remains of once-living organisms and that rock layers form in sequence.
The Full Story
Nicolaus Steno, a Danish scientist, is often called the father of stratigraphy. In the 1660s and 1670s, he argued that sedimentary layers are deposited in order and that fossils were originally parts of living creatures, not mysterious mineral shapes. His principles of superposition and original horizontality became essential tools for reading Earth's history. Steno's work helped create modern historical geology.
Key Facts
1.Key ideas developed in the 1660s
2.Fossils are remains of ancient life
3.Layers are generally oldest at the bottom
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"The scientist who taught us that rock layers are like pages in a book."