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Most fossils are two rocks - one around the animal, and one that fills the cavity of the animal later. The 'filler' usually isn't sedimentary - it tends to be
by londons_explore 3y ago
Most fossils are two rocks - one around the animal, and one that fills the cavity of the animal later.
The 'filler' usually isn't sedimentary - it tends to be formed by something that seeps through then crystalizes.
Those crystals are super hard, and generally won't be compressible at all.
Although there is a good chance the cavity compressed a bit before being filled.
- laszlojamf 3y agoTIL So is there like a flat imprint of all the biological residue or is it more like a shell, if you know what I mean? Also, what kind of crystals are w usually talking about?
- systems_glitch 3y agoDepends on the fossil and enclosing material. A lot of the fossils we found as kids in slate were flattened, but sandstone fossils tended to be more like injection molded.
- jacquesm 3y agoA fantastic example of this is 'the petrified forest'. https://www.nps.gov/pefo/index.htm https://www.nps.gov/pefo/index.htm Straight from the Triassic.