Short answers, pulled from the story.
Paleontology is the scientific study of past life, mainly through fossils. Paleontologists use fossils to classify organisms, measure geologic time, and assess how prehistoric organisms interacted with their environments. It overlaps most with geology and biology.
Georges Cuvier is generally regarded as the first paleontologist, founding the field with his 1796 work demonstrating evidence for extinction. He showed that the life of the past was not necessarily the same as that of the present and named the fossil taxon Megatherium from bones found in Paraguay.
The French word paleontology was introduced in 1822 by Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville, a former student of Cuvier. It was derived from Ancient Greek roots meaning ancient, a sense of relatedness, and a field of study.
Trace fossils are fossils that record the behavior or life of organisms rather than their body parts. They include preserved burrows, footprints, and coprolites. The study of trace fossils is called paleoichnology, and Leonardo da Vinci is credited as the founder of ichnology.
At least five mass extinction events are recognized in Earth's history, and it is possible the planet is currently undergoing a sixth through human activity. Mass extinctions account for only a small percentage of total species extinctions, with most occurring through the background extinction rate.
Paleontology is one of the most high-profile sciences, with discoveries about dinosaurs and human evolution commonly reported in mass media. Only astrophysics and global health draw comparable press attention. Prehistoric life inspires toys, television, film, computer games, and tourism, often with budgets exceeding funding for the field itself.