Article: Molecular palaeontology

Recent developments in molecular biology are beginning to provide new ways of looking at the history of life. At present there are three main potential sources of information: organic molecules extracted from rocks or fossils, the comparative molecular biology of living organisms, and the knowledge that is developing about the role of biopolymers in the construction of skeletons. Each of these fields is reviewed briefly to illustrate how the information that is becoming available may be used in future to serve the common goals of palaeontology and molecular biology.