Question

After studying the fossils of woolly mammoths and comparing them to the bones of modern-day elephants, Georges Cuvier proposed several new ideas about the history of life on earth. Which general statement can be made about this process of Cuvier?
Understanding the past is not important to studying the present.

All scientific ideas are made by comparing past and present organisms.

Scientists always discover new ideas when they study details about living things.

Through specific studies, new ideas can be developed.

Answer 1

George Curvier was a naturalist who proved that all the fossils found are not related to the present day species of the different organisms. He studied the woolly mammoths and then, compared these fossils to the modern-day elephants and then found that they are not similar. He based on these observations concluded that many species existed on Earth which are not present anymore as they got extinct. Based on this comparison method of the Curvier it can be said that the scientific ideas are made by comparing the past and present organisms.

Hence, the answer is 'scientific ideas are made by comparing the past and present organisms'.

Answer 2

Through specific studies, new ideas can be developed.