How old is the youngest fossil we have? I’ve searched my books, but none really tell me the answer.
Sorry guys, wrong thread. I’ll ask one of the administrators to move it.
You might as well leave it here, where it’s going to end up eventually anyway. 
Depends on what you count as a “fossil”. There are naturally preserved organisms or parts of organisms that are as little as a week old. Going back a few years to a few centuries, you have the bones of cattle and bison drying in the desert, or the shells of mussels and oysters being buried on the beach. Mineral replacement of bone material can be accomplished in a few years given the right chemicals in the groundwater.
I suppose that what I am trying to say is that there is no set point where a dead organism switches from being considered just a dead thing to being a “fossil”.
Dr. Fidelius, Charlatan
Associate Curator Anomalous Paleontology, Miskatonic University
“You cannot reason a man out of a position he did not reach through reason.”
Mynd you, møøse bites Kan be pretty nasti…
Jesse Helms/ Less than 100 years old.
Yer pal,
Satan
Wow…he’s a lot younger than he looks…must be all that branch water.
JB
Lex Non Favet Delictorum Votis
Dr. F, how do you do those o’s with the slashes through them? Quoting the moose credits just doesn’t work without them.
At Lissa’s request, I’m moving this to General Questions. Please try to keep it over there by dealing with the question, not a creation/evolution debate.
Thanks.
David B, SDMB Great Debates Moderator