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Mötesplats Rydberg: Johan Lindgren "Unique fossils reveal the softer side of ancient ‘sea monsters’"

Europe/Stockholm
Fysiska institutionen-Physics Department

Fysiska institutionen-Physics Department

Description

Palaeontology is the scientific discipline that seeks information about the origin and evolution of the biosphere. To accomplish this, palaeontologists traditionally rely on anatomical information obtained from the fossilized hard-parts of extinct organisms. However, the rock record is capable of exceptional preservation, and occasionally decay-prone tissues and organ systems are conserved as mineralized and/or carbonized residues with a high degree of morphological fidelity. But what is the nature of these remains, and which taphonomic processes have enabled their survival across geological time? We sought to investigate this by applying a novel multidisciplinary experimental approach to fossilized soft tissues in remarkably well-preserved mosasaurs and ichthyosaurs (extinct seagoing reptiles). Surprisingly, demineralization of the lithified soft parts revealed still flexible remnants of the original skin and subcutaneous tissue, retaining endogenous cellular, sub-cellular and biomolecular constituents.

Please join the digital Mötesplats Rydberg: https://lu-se.zoom.us/j/910953381