Fascinated about fossils?

Many people believe that fossils are important as a way to answer questions about the history of the Earth. But fossils are useful for even more than that. For example, studying microscopic fossils aids in the locating of oil and gas. We also learn about what the climate was throughout history. Beyond all that, fossils are interesting, beautiful and coveted. The following ten websites give valuable information about fossils for those that are fascinated with them. They are listed in order of their Alexa traffic count rating.

1. Geology.com Fossils and Paleontology: http://geology.com/fossils/

Global Alexa Rating: 40,962

Geology.com covers a wide variety of categories about the planet on which we live, and their fossils section is very unique. You’ll find such interesting topics as petrified wood, fossil gems, oldest animal fossils, petrified palm, dinosaurs and much more. Be sure to read about Ammolite which is a fossil and a gemstone. When you finish with the fossil articles, stick around for a ton of other fascinating topics such as diamonds, gemstones, meteorites and igneous rocks.

2. The Fossil Guy: http://www.fossilguy.com/

Global Alexa Rating: 428,563

This site is a resource for fossil collectors in and around the mid-Atlantic region. It includes virtual tours of fossil hunting sites and fossil identification. The site is helpful for collectors to be able to identify their fossil finds. You’ll find a fossil gallery, fossil collecting trips, printable fossil identification sheets, articles and much more. There is an incredible amount of information packed into this site.

3. The Virtual Fossil Museum: http://www.fossilmuseum.net/index.htm

Global Alexa Rating: 910,255

The Virtual Fossil Museum is an ever-growing extensive collection of fossil images. There are a number of areas you can navigate to on the site including geological time, paleobiology, geological history, tree of life, fossil sites, fossils, evolution, fossil record and museum fossils. Be sure to catch the fossil record section and select the various links at the top to go to fossils of specific periods of time.

4. The Fossil Forum: http://www.thefossilforum.com/

Global Alexa Rating: 1,183,019

Any great subject usually has a forum where people that share an enthusiasm for the topic can gather as a community and this forum does that splendidly. The Fossil Forum includes forums, of course, but also a gallery, blogs and calendar. There are over 1,500 albums in the gallery all posted by members of their particular fossil finds. The forum has over 14,000 members and over 515,000 total posts at the current time.

5. UK Fossils Network: http://www.ukfossils.co.uk/

Global Alexa Rating: 1,255,952

The UK Fossils Network, established in 1998, offers fossil collecting guides and advice for fossil sites in the UK. The site includes a database of 360+ locations and 45,000+ photos. A great place to start if you are new to hunting for fossils is their beginners’ guide which includes what is a fossil, how fossils are formed and where to find fossils. The site includes advice & tips and other educational materials. Be sure to check out the resources section which includes a geological timeline, paleontological glossary and directory of societies.

6. Black Hills Institute of Geological Research: http://www.bhigr.com/

Global Alexa Rating: 1,315,740

At the time of this review, much of the site was under reconstruction and the links were being directed to their ancient site. However, there was still some nice features and the site will no doubt grow in popularity as it is revamped to be even better. What they do is paleontological field work, fossil preparation & research, molding casting & mounting and Earth science displays & exhibits. You may have even seen some of their work if you’ve visited museums. Be sure to watch the trailer for Dinosaur 13.

7. Discovering Fossils: http://www.discoveringfossils.co.uk/

Global Alexa Rating: 1,655,594

Discovering Fossils is a collection of online resources and guided fossil hunts in Great Britain. They actually work together with the UK Fossils Network noted previously. If you live in Great Britain or are planning a vacation to there, you will want to check into their fossil hunts that are designed for everyone – no experience required. Be sure to check out the resources section of this website for a treasure-trove of information about fossils and fossil hunting.

8. Fossils-Facts-and-Finds: http://www.fossils-facts-and-finds.com/

Global Alexa Rating: 2,624,986

This is a fun website about fossils that is designed especially for kids, teachers, students and homeschoolers. That doesn’t mean even an advanced collector won’t find something helpful here though. There is information about fossils including collecting, formation, identification and extreme fossil facts. There is also a fossil gallery. There is a teacher resources activities section that includes fossil lesson plans and activities for kids.

9. Fossil News: http://www.fossilnews.com/index.html

Global Alexa Rating: 6,412,596

Fossil News is a bimonthly magazine for fossil enthusiasts. There are plenty of great articles, most of them written by avocational paleontologists. They did have a printed magazine as well, but discontinued it in Nov/Dec 2011 in favor of a solely online publication. A one year subscription is $15. They have posted the April 2007 issue in a downloadable PDF file for free so you can see what the magazine is like before subscribing. There are also a few articles from past issues shown on the website.

10. Fossil Museum: http://www.fossil-museum.com/

Global Alexa Rating: 16,590,285

This site’s intention is to reveal the scientific evidence that demolishes Darwinism. You may or may not agree with their premise, but you should still find the site interesting due to the fossils on display and the articles posted. The site includes the global impact of the works of Harun Yahya. There is also a link to another interesting website called Living-Fossils. This site will really get you thinking about all that stuff you learned in school!

Regardless of the reason why you are interested in fossils, these sites will give you a better understanding about how they came to be and what they can tell us. If you are interested in finding fossils for yourself, you can find great resources on how to do that. If you are planning to purchase fossils, these sites will help you understand them more first so you can choose more wisely. Happy digging!