Paleontology ndi sayansi. Amagwira ntchito ndi zomera ndi zinyama zakale, zomwe zatha. Mawuwa ali ndi Greek Greek "palaios", kutanthauza "wakale". Chitsanzo cha nyama yomwe yatha ndi dinosaur.
Akatswiri a mbiri yakale amafuna kudziwa mmene nyama ndi zomera zinkakhalira zaka masauzande kapena mamiliyoni ambiri zapitazo. Zimakhudzanso momwe zimagwirizanirana ndi zolengedwa zamasiku ano. Mwanjira imeneyi, mumaphunziranso kanthu za msinkhu wa nthaka yosanjikiza imene iwo anapezekamo.
Kuyambira nthawi zakale anthu akhala akudabwa za mafupa osweka kapena zomera, zokwiriridwa pansi. Cha m'ma 1800, sayansi ya paleontology inayamba. Georges Cuvier wa ku France anayerekezera zokwiriridwa pansi zakale. Anapezanso kuti nyama zina zokwiriridwa pansi zakale sizifanana ndi nyama zamakono: chotero nyama zimatha kutha.