Final answer:
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of once-living organisms, often including bones and teeth, which can mineralize under the right conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The remains of once-living organisms are called fossils. These are the preserved remains or traces of organisms that lived in the past. When an organism dies, its body begins to decompose, but under certain conditions, the hard parts like bones, teeth, or shells can mineralize and turn into fossils.
The fossil record, although very incomplete, provides a historical narrative of life on Earth and includes both extinct species and ancestors to modern species like hominins. Biological anthropologists study these remains to understand the evolution and development of human life and culture, which is defined by holism as the interconnected nature of human existence.