Témbongkeun sumber pikeun Fosil

[[Gambar:Isocrinus nicoleti Encrinite Mt Carmel.jpg|thumb|''Isocrinus nicoleti'']]
'''Fosil''' (tina [[basa Latin]] ''fossus'', hartina "beunang ngagali") nyaéta sésa-sésa atawa tapak [[sato|sasatoan]], [[tutuwuhan]], atawa [[organisme]] naon baé nu geus ngalaman [[mineral]]isasi antukna kaawétkeun. '''Fosil''' nyaéta sesa [[tutuwuhan]] jeung [[sasatoan]] ''jaman prasejarah'' nu awét nepikeun ka ayeuna. ku alatan '''fosil''' tadi, urang téh bisa nyaho kana kumaha mimiti kahirupan. salian ti éta ogé, urang téh bisa nyaho kana kumaha anéka [[forma]] kahirupan téh robah jeung mekar salila [[evolusi]]na<ref name="japan">Hiroshi Ozaki. Jepang. 1970. PT. Tira Pustaka. Kodansha Ltd.</ref>. <!-- The totality of fossils and their placement in '''fossiliferous''' (fossil-containing) [[Rock (geology)|rock]] formations and sedimentary layers ([[Stratum|strata]]) is known as the [[fossil record]]. The study of fossils is called [[paleontology]]. Because fossils are by their nature old, the word has also entered the modern vernacular as a derogatory term for an elderly person.
[[Image:Knightia.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Fossil fish of the genus ''[[Knightia]]'']]

Fossilization is actually a rare occurrence because natural materials tend to decompose. In order for an organism to be fossilized, the remains normally need to be covered by [[sediment]] as soon as possible. However there are exceptions to this, such as if an organism becomes [[petrifaction|petrified]] or comes to rest in an anoxic environment such as at the bottom of a lake. There are several different types of fossils and fossilization processes.

Fossils usually consist of traces of the remains of the organism itself. However, fossils may also consist of the marks left behind by the organism while it was alive, such as the footprint or feces of a [[dinosaur]] or [[reptile]]. These types of fossil are called [[trace fossil]]s, as opposed to body fossils. Finally, past life leaves some evidences that cannot be seen but can be detected in the form of chemical signals; these are known as ''chemical fossils'' (for lack of a better term).

[[Image:Fossil.JPG|thumb|250px|''[[Tentaculite|Tentaculites]]'' found in a State Park in Albany, New York.  The enigmatic organisms that grew these shells are estimated to have lived over 360 million years ago.]]

The oldest known structured fossils are most likely [[stromatolites]]. Now understood to be formed by the entrapment of minerals by mucous-like sheets of [[cyanobacteria]], the oldest of these formations dates from 3.5 billion years ago. Even older deposits (3.8 billion years old) of heavy [[carbon]] that are indicative of even earlier life are currently proposed as the remains of the earliest known life on [[Earth]].

==Permineralisasi==
[[Image:Trilobite2.jpg|thumb|A permineralized [[trilobite]], ''[[Asaphus kowalewskii]]'']] 
Permineralization consists of organic remains being to some degree impregnated by minerals derived from the surrounding sediments or waters. For permineralization to occur, the organism must become covered by sediment soon after death or soon after the initial decaying process. The degree to which the remains are decayed when covered determines the later details of the fossil. Some fossils consist only of skeletal remains or teeth; other fossils contain traces of [[skin]], [[feather]]s or even soft tissues. Once covered with sediment, these layers slowly become compacted and cemented into rock, and the organic remains are slowly replaced with hard minerals.

==Replacement and compression fossils==
In some cases the original remains of the organism have been completely dissolved or otherwise destroyed. When all that is left is an organism-shaped hole in the rock, we call this a ''mould fossil'' or typolite. If this hole is later filled with other minerals, it is called a ''cast fossil'' and is considered a replacement fossil since the original materials have been completely replaced by new, unrelated ones. In some cases replacement occurs so gradually and at such fine scales that no "hole" in the rock can ever be discerned and microstructural features are preserved despite the total loss of original material.

''Compression fossils'' such as those of fossil ferns are the result of chemical reduction of the complex organic molecules composing the organism's tissues. In this case the fossil consists of original material, albeit in a geochemically altered state.

To sum up, fossilization processes proceed differently for different kinds of tissues and under different kinds of conditions.

==Trace fossils==
[[Trace fossil]]s are the remains of trackways, burrows, footprints, [[Egg (biology)|egg]]s and eggshells, nests, droppings and other types of impressions. Fossilized droppings, called [[coprolite]]s, can give insight into the feeding behavior of animals and can therefore be of great importance.

==Resin fossils==

Smaller animals, such as [[insect]]s, [[spider]]s and small [[lizard]]s, can be trapped in resin ([[amber]]), which is secreted from trees. These fossils can be found in sandstones or mudstones or washed up on beaches like those around the [[Baltic Sea]].

==Pseudofossils==
[[Image:Fossile_J_3.jpg|thumb|Example of a [[pseudofossil]]: this dendrite looks much like a plant]]

[[Pseudofossil]]s are visual patterns in rocks that are produced by naturally occurring geologic processes rather than biologic processes. They can easily be mistaken for real fossils. Some pseudofossils, such as [[Dendrite (crystal)|dendrite]]s, are formed by naturally occurring fissures in the rock that get filled up by percolating minerals. Other types of pseudofossils are kidney ore (round shapes in iron ore) and [[Agate|moss agate]]s, which look like moss or plant leaves. [[Concretion]]s, round or oval-shaped nodules found in some sedimentary strata, were once thought to be [[dinosaur]] eggs, and are often mistaken for fossils as well.
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== Fosil hirup ==
[[Fosil hirup]] mangrupa istilah nu dipaké pikeun spésiés-spésiés hirup nu raket pisan hubunganana jeung spésiés nu kapanggih salaku fosil. <!--This can be a species known only from fossils until living representatives were discovered, such as the [[coelacanth]] and the [[ginkgo]] tree, or a single living species with no close relatives, such as the [[horseshoe crab]], that is the sole survivor of a once large and widespread group in the fossil record.-->

== Baca ogé ==
* [[Fosil jeung kala géologi]]
* [[Bahan bakar fosil]]
* [[Kahirupan prasajarah]]
* [[Fosil transisi]]

== Sumber rujukan ==
* ''[[:en:Fossil|Fossil]]'', Wikipédia édisi basa Inggris per 14 Januari 2006.

== Tumbu kaluar ==
{{Commons|fossils}}
* [http://www.fossilmuseum.net/index.htm Musium Fosil Maya sapanjang Mangsa jeung Evolusi] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060218110224/http://www.fossilmuseum.net/index.htm |date=2006-02-18 }}

{{pondok}}

[[Kategori:Fosil]]
[[Kategori:Paléontologi]]