List of famous paleontologists

Paleontologists study the fossils of plants, animals and other organisms in order to understand the forms of life that existed during the prehistoric or geologic times. The work of paleontologists throws light on the earth’s history: catastrophic events, geologic composition, and climate changes. Paleontology is a field intimately related to a number of other sciences like geology, biology, archeology, biochemistry, mathematics, and anatomy among others. Some paleontologists may work on field on sites locating fossil beds and excavating remains. Even though this is an important part of their work, most of the times paleontologists do not have to visit the fossil sites themselves, often specimen discovered by other professionals while working on mining or petroleum sites are sent to the paleontologists for examination. They determine the age of the fossils using sophisticated techniques and observe the features to identify the species. The findings of their research provide vital insight into the earth’s history and evolution of life forms. Paleontologists primarily work in research or in teaching jobs. This section provides you information about the life and works of various famous paleontologists from all over the world.

Stephen Jay Gould
Stephen Jay Gould was a famous paleontologist widely recognized for his contributions to evolutionary theory and history of science. A prolific ...