In 1669, Danish scientist Nicholas Steno proposed foundational principles of stratigraphy, asserting that fossils found in sedimentary layers are organic remains. His work laid the groundwork for modern geology and paleontology by introducing the concepts of superposition and original horizontality. Steno's principles revolutionized the understanding of Earth's history and the processes that shape it, influencing both scientific inquiry and the way we interpret the fossil record.

Nicholas Steno's principles of stratigraphy, proposed in 1669, laid the groundwork for modern geology, influencing Romantic poets like William Wordsworth and John Keats. Their works often reflected on nature's vastness and the passage of time, drawing inspiration from the earth's layered history.