Fossils themselves, and the sedimentary rocks they are found in, are very difficult to date directly. Instead, other methods are used to work out a fossils age. These include radiometric dating of volcanic layers above or below the fossils or by comparisons to similar rocks and fossils of known ages.

How do fossils get dated?

To establish the age of a rock or a fossil, researchers use some type of clock to determine the date it was formed. Geologists commonly use radiometric dating methods, based on the natural radioactive decay of certain elements such as potassium and carbon, as reliable clocks to date ancient events.

Why are older fossils found deeper?

What relationship seems to exist between the approximate age of the fossils and rocks layers and their depth in the earth? Following the law of superposition in geology, older fossils and rocks are found in lower strata than younger fossils and rock layers.