Paleontology is...
Imagine that you want to know all you can know about World War II. But the only sources of information you have are a copy of Newsweek from 2004 and a newspaper from the 1823. Also they're both in shreds. Also the shreds are in a dark room. Also you can only look into the room through a keyhole. Also there are tatters of other periodicals that have nothing to do with what you're looking at strewn about as well. Now with that data you collected through that keyhole, figure out why the Battle of the Bulge was fought, how many hairs were in Stalin's mustache, and how many men from Gary, Indiana went to war and came home wounded.
It's absolutely amazing that we've been able to glean as much as we have.
It's absolutely amazing that we've been able to glean as much as we have.