In the southwest corner of Wyoming, there is a flat-topped mountain called Fossil Butte. A fossil of a fish was found near the top of Fossil Butte in a rock formation that is about 50 million years old. Fossils of other kinds of fishes, as well as turtles, have been found at Fossil Butte. The land around Fossil Butte is dry, and the Pacific Ocean is more than 1000 km away. How could fossils of sea-dwelling animals have formed at Fossil Butte?
1. Think of several questions that a scientist might ask in order to understand why there are fish fossils in the desert of Wyoming. Write these on a sheet of paper.
2. Suggest a possible answer to each question.
3. How could a scientist go about finding an answer to each of the questions?
