Final answer:
Treating evolution as a hypothesis and utilizing the fossil record allows us to understand the history of life on Earth, as fossils show the progression of life forms and evolutionary changes over time.
Step-by-step explanation:
Treating evolution as a hypothesis and testing it with the fossil record helps us Understand the history of life on Earth. Fossils are windows into the past, showing us a clear timeline of evolutionary changes as organisms evolved over millions of years. Paleontologists use the fossil record to determine the age of fossils, categorize them, and tell the story of how life has changed. For example, the evolution of the horse and the similarities in mammalian appendages suggest a common ancestor, thereby supporting evolutionary theory. Additionally, analyzing variations in nucleotide sequences over time can help refine our understanding of life's evolutionary history on Earth.