The fossil record serves as a basis for our scientific understanding of early life on Earth. From fossils, we can infer how climate and ecosystems have changed, how prehistoric organisms interacted with each other and how life forms have diversified over time. Plant fossils are particularly interesting to study because many prehistoric plants possess characteristics that are similar and easily recognizable when compared to today’s living plants. Some of the content statements in Ohio’s Revised Science Standards focus on the study of fossils, especially through drawing comparisons between prehistoric and currently living organisms.