Re: The (long) future of paleontology

[Amtoine Grant <blackphoenix@eastlink.ca>]

On Thursday, January 12, 2006, at 03:13  PM, W. F. Zimmerman, 
wfzimmerman.com wrote:

> There were some interesting discussions on this list recently about 
> the number of genera discovered in each year and the most abundant 
> fossil genera.
>
> The conversation prompted me to wonder: what is the (long) future for 
> paleontology?   In some ways, it's a zero-sum game with an achievable 
> end point.  After all, all the fossils that ever will be discovered 
> already exist.


Why would you assume fossils aren't being left today? Animals still die 
in around bodies of water, landslides & avalanches occur, not to 
mention volcanic activity's never ceased. All of these are still 
entombing creatures around the world.