Fossil Studies | Aims and Scope Update

To further enhance the academic quality of Fossil Studies, offer clearer submission guidance for authors, and better align the journal’s scope with its current publication content and evolving trends in palaeontology, we have revised the journal’s aims and scope. This update draws on valuable input from our Editorial Board and has been finalised under the approval of our Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Eric Buffetaut. The revised scope more accurately reflects the journal’s core focus and its commitment to serving researchers in palaeontology and related interdisciplinary fields. The new version is now in effect and available on the journal’s website. The original aims and scope and the updated version are listed below:

Aims (new version):	Aims (old version):
Fossil Studies (ISSN 2813-6284) is an international and interdisciplinary open access peer-reviewed scientific journal concerning all aspects of palaeontology. It publishes regular research papers, review papers, communications and other article types about all groups of fossil organisms, from all time periods, from the earliest living beings to the Holocene. We aim to encourage all kinds of palaeontological publications, from short announcements of significant discoveries to longer descriptions and reviews, as well as papers of a more theoretical nature or discussing new approaches and techniques. Book reviews are also encouraged. A high standard of illustration will be provided, as it is essential for descriptive palaeontology papers. Comments on papers previously published in the journal will be welcome in the form of short letters. Therefore, the journal has no restriction on the maximum length of the papers. Full experimental details should be provided so that the results can be reproduced.	Fossil Studies (ISSN 2813-6284) is an international and interdisciplinary peer-reviewed scientific journal concerning all aspects of palaeontology. It publishes regular research papers, review papers and communications about all groups of fossil organisms, from all time periods, from the earliest living beings to the Holocene. We aim to encourage all kinds of palaeontological publications, from short announcements of significant discoveries to longer descriptions and reviews, as well as papers of a more theoretical nature or discussing new approaches and techniques. A high standard of illustration will be provided, as it is essential for descriptive palaeontology papers. Comments on papers previously published in the journal will be welcome in the form of short letters.
Scope (new version):	Scope (old version):
This journal covers all topics related to the study of fossils, whatever their geological age and systematic position. All the main branches of palaeontology are covered: Invertebrate palaeontology; Vertebrate palaeontology; Palaeobotany; Micropalaeontology; Human palaeontology (including palaeoanthropology and hominin evolution); Palaeoichnology; Archaeozoology. Within these large categories, fields of interest include, but are not limited to, the following: Description of newly discovered fossil specimens and taxa; Reviews of fossil groups and their evolution; Fossil-based phylogenies; Functional anatomy of fossil organisms (including comparisons with living forms); Biostratigraphy; Palaeobiogeography; Palaeoecology; Palaeobiology (including thermophysiology); Taphonomy (including experimental taphonomy) and fossilisation; Diagenetic processes (mineralogical and geochemical approaches); Geochemistry applied to fossils; Dating of fossils using absolute chronology; Ancient DNA and other biomolecules; Extinctions and their causes; Human fossil remains, including morphological, taxonomic and evolutionary studies; History of palaeontology.	This journal covers all topics related to the study of fossils, whatever their geological age and systematic position. All the main branches of palaeontology are covered: Invertebrate palaeontology Vertebrate palaeontology Palaeobotany Micropalaeontology. Within these large categories, fields of interest include, but are not limited to: Description of newly discovered fossil specimens and taxa Reviews of fossil groups and their evolution Fossil-based phylogenies Functional anatomy of fossil organisms (including comparisons with living forms) Biostratigraphy Palaeobiogeography Palaeoecology Palaeobiology Taphonomy (including experimental taphonomy) and fossilization Trace fossils Geochemistry applied to fossils Ancient DNA and other biomolecules Extinctions and their causes.