When paleontologists find a fossilized bone, what they actually find is a rock. With the help of time, minerals, and pressure, the bone develops into a rock, with no trace of actual organic material remaining. Some environments make for better fossil development than others. If the animal's body is buried by sediment, protecting it from predators and being ravaged by wind and weather, a fossil will develop over time. This happens when minerals replace organic matter, creating an exact copy of the original specimen.

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