Imagine a paleontologist from 100,000 years into the future. Which organisms would the fossil record from today likely include?

Question

Imagine a paleontologist from 100,000 years into the future. Which organisms would the fossil record from today likely include? For one of the answers below, here is a picture of a hellbender salamander, one of the largest amphibians in the world.

(Teacher posted a picture of a hellbender salamander along with the question. Not sure if this is useful information)

A. Woolly Mammoths

B. Pet cats

C. Shower biofilms

D. Jellyfish

E. Rare hellbender salamanders (pictured above)

Answer 1

It is difficult to predict which organisms will be represented in the fossil record from today in 100,000 years, as many factors can influence the preservation and fossilization of organisms. However, it is more likely that organisms with hard structures, such as shells, bones, and teeth, will be preserved in the fossil record. Therefore, options A (Woolly Mammoths), D (Jellyfish), and E (Hellbender Salamanders) are more likely to be represented in the fossil record than options B (Pet Cats) and C (Shower Biofilms).

Answer 2

If I would approach this question I would want to break down each answer to be able to best make the best decision.

I would most like choose D the jellyfish because it is the most likely organism that the paleontologist from the future would find in the fossil record from today. A jellyfish have soft bodies that are easily fossilized under the right conditions, and they have been present in Earth's ocean for hundreds of years. The woolly mammoth and pet cats are not likely to leave extensive fossil records, as they are relatively recent and have not had time to become well-preserved in the fossil record. Lastly, shower biofilms and rare hellbender salamanders are also not likely to be preserved in the fossil record as they are too small and/or too rare to leave behind significant traces.