Fossils: Evidence of Past Life Fossils, the remains or traces of prehistoric sions are important indu life, in sediment and sedimentary rocks They are important basic tools for interpreting the geologic past. The scientific study of fos sils is called paleontology. It is an interdisciplinary science that blends geology and biology in an attempt to understand all aspects of the succession of life over the vast expanse of geologic time. Knowing the nature of the life-forms that existed at a particular timehelps researchers understand past environmental conditions. Furthermore, fossils are important time indicators and a key rolein correlating rocks of similaragesthat are from different places