| List of years in paleontology (table) |
|---|
| … 1667 . 1668 . 1669 . 1670 . 1671 . 1672 . 1673 … 1674 1675 1676 -1677- 1678 1679 1680 … 1681 . 1682 . 1683 . 1684 . 1685 . 1686 . 1687 … |
Paleontology, palaeontology or palæontology (from Greek: paleo, "ancient"; ontos, "being"; and logos, "knowledge") is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils. This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, coprolites, palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because mankind has encountered fossils for millennia, paleontology has a long history both before and after becoming formalized as a science. This article records significant discoveries and events related to paleontology that occurred in the year 1677.
Fossils[]
- Robert Plot misinterprets a piece of Megalosaurus thigh bone as belonging to an elephant brought to Britain when the region was under the control of the Roman Empire. Despite recognizing this find as a petirified bone, he would later make the curious claim that fossils were made by God to decorate the inside of the earth, and were thus never part of real animals.[1]
References[]
- ^ Farlow, James O.; M. K. Brett-Surmann (1999). The Complete Dinosaur. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. pp. 5. ISBN 0-253-21313-4.