Question

A scientist found the fossilized remains of a modern badger species in a new layer of sedimentary rock. The fossil was dated to the Holocene geologic epoch. If the scientist wanted to find an ancestor of this species from the Pleistocene geologic epoch, where should she look?

Answer 1

Since the scientists found a fossil from a modern day badger from the Holocene geologic epoch, the badger would be mostly the same, as this is the most recent, and still on going geologic epoch, starting from little less than 12,000 years ago. If the scientist wants to find a fossilized remains of earlier badgers, thus of their ancestors from the Pleistocene epoch, than the scientist should dig deeper. Not a lot deeper though, as the layers of rock from the Pleistocene are just bellow the layers of rock from the Holocene, as the Pleistocene is the second youngest geologic epoch, being the predecessor of the Holocene.

Answer 2

Answer:

Since the scientists found a fossil from a modern day badger from the Holocene geologic epoch, the badger would be mostly the same, as this is the most recent, and still on going geologic epoch, starting from little less than 12,000 years ago