Fossil History

A long, long time ago
In a galaxy not so far away
Amazing creatures appeared
That were common for the day

They left us images
Of a past
So distant and so close
That would forever last

As simple as sponges may manifest themselves to be, they possess an extensive and complex fossil history. This history helps us, in modern times, to comprehend geologic phenomena that previously occurred. It provides us with insight to a world that was and wasn’t our own. It helps us grasp the natural concepts that govern our own period. All of this was accomplished by a record written not in words, but in fossils. Although its translation is perplexing, it offers so much for us. To help in the study of the poriferan fossil history, read the following three pages. The first one addresses the origination of sponges within the natural world. The second page involves some more analysis of the sponges' history. The third page, although not concerned with fossil history, details how sponges have interacted with humans through the centuries.