The foundation of paleontology as a science dates back to the work of Georges Cuvier in 1796.
Notes on verification
Multiple independent sources (Britannica, New World Encyclopedia, macroevolution.net, and a dedicated academic paper) confirm Cuvier's 1796 paper on living vs. fossil elephants as a founding moment of paleontology, with only minor date discrepancies (January vs. April).
Sources
- Paleontology (en.wikipedia.org)
- https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Georges_Cuvier (newworldencyclopedia.org)
- http://www.macroevolution.net/cuvier.html (macroevolution.net)
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309321774_Georges_Cuvier_and_establishment_of_the_paleontology_as_a_science (researchgate.net)