Fossilization is the process through which organic materials, like plants and animals, are preserved over time. This usually occurs when these materials are buried under layers of sediment, which protects them from decay. Over thousands to millions of years, minerals in the surrounding sediment can replace the organic material, turning it into a fossil. There are different types of fossils, including trace fossils, which record the activity of organisms, and body fossils, which are the actual remains of the organisms. Fossilization provides valuable information about the Earth's history and the evolution of life on our planet.