Paleontology or palaeontology is the study of
prehistoriclife forms on
Earth through the examination of plant and animal
fossils.[1] This includes the study of body fossils,
tracks (
ichnites),
burrows, cast-off parts, fossilised
feces (
coprolites),
palynomorphs and
chemical residues. Because humans have encountered fossils for millennia, paleontology has a long history both before and after becoming formalized as a
science. This article records significant discoveries and events related to paleontology that occurred or were published in the year 1763.
Fossils
The end of a Megalosaurus thighbone,
previously misinterpreted by
Robert Plot to be the remains of a
war elephant brought to
Great Britain by the
Romans,[2] is subject to further confusion.
Richard Brookes publishes a paper naming it Scrotum humanum. Although he meant this name metaphorically to describe the bone's appearance, this idea is taken seriously by French philosopher
Jean-Baptiste Robinet, who believed that nature formed fossils in mimicry of portions of the human anatomy- such as the scrotum.[3]
^Gini-Newman, Garfield; Graham, Elizabeth (2001). Echoes from the past: world history to the 16th century. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd.
ISBN9780070887398.
OCLC46769716.