In the late 1700s, machines that could blast through rock to build roads and railways were invented, exposing deep layers of rocks. How would you expect this development to aid the science of paleontology?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the connection between rock layers and fossils: Understand that different layers of rock contain fossils from different periods in Earth's history. These layers, when exposed, can provide valuable information about the organisms that lived during those times.
2. Recognize the impact of machinery: Acknowledge that the invention of machines capable of blasting through rock made it possible to access deeper and previously unreachable layers of rock. This would have allowed scientists to discover and study fossils from a wider range of geological periods.
3. Consider the increase in fossil accessibility: Realize that with the ability to expose deeper layers of rock, more fossils could be uncovered. This would likely lead to an increase in the number and variety of fossils available for study, enriching the field of paleontology.
4. Link to the advancement of paleontological methods: Reflect on how the increased availability of fossils could have spurred the development of new methods and techniques in paleontology, such as more precise dating methods and better analytical tools to study the morphology and composition of fossils.
5. Evaluate the broader impact on science: Contemplate how these advancements in paleontology could have contributed to a better understanding of evolutionary biology, helping scientists piece together the history of life on Earth and the processes that have shaped its diversity.