How does paleontology differ from anthropology and archaeology?
A paleontologist studies the history of life on Earth through fossils. This includes all forms of life from 4.6 billion years to the present. An archaeologist is a type of anthropologist who studies the the history and evolution of humans, their ancestors, relatives and culture through fossils and artifacts. While the terms are often interchangeably, they are very different. Paleontologists have their education in geology and/or evolutionary biology (or a combination thereof) whereas archaeologists recieve their education mainly in anthropology.
Indiana Jones was an archaeologist whereas Ellie Sattler from Jurassic Park was a paleontologist.
Archaeologists primarily work with human artifacts objects that have been made by humans and with human remains. Anthropologists work with humans their cultures, societies, languages, and ways of life, in addition to their bones and artifacts. Some paleontologists do study the fossil record of humans and their relatives. However, paleontology as a whole encompasses all life, from bacteria to whales. Paleontology does not usually deal with artifacts made by humans. However, archaeologists and paleontologists might work together. For instance, a paleontologist might identify fossil animal bones or plant pollen associated with an archaeological site, to find out what the people who lived there ate; or a paleontologist might be called on to analyze the climate at the time a particular archaeological site was inhabited.
