What area of science would include studying fossils?

The study of fossils falls under paleontology, which is the branch of science that focuses on the history of life on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils. Paleontologists analyze fossils to understand the processes of evolution, the structure of ancient organisms, and the environmental conditions of the Earth at the time these organisms lived. This field encompasses various aspects of biology, geology, and ecology, as it involves understanding both the biological characteristics of organisms and the geological context in which they existed.

Other scientific fields, though important in their own right, do not focus on fossils. Chemistry, for example, deals with the composition, structure, properties, and reactions of matter, often at a molecular or atomic level, but does not specifically involve the study of historical life forms. Astronomy is concerned with celestial phenomena beyond Earth's atmosphere and does not study fossils or terrestrial life forms. Physics focuses on the fundamental principles governing matter and energy, including forces and the behavior of physical systems, but again, it does not encompass the study of fossils. In contrast, paleontology directly investigates and interprets fossil evidence to learn about past life and its evolution, making it the area of science that specifically includes studying fossils.