When you purchase through link on our land site , we may earn an affiliate committee . Here ’s how it works .
Scientists have finally lick the whodunit of how the fossilized feathers of a 30,000 - yr - old vulture were preserved with such unprecedented level of contingent .
The griffon piranha ( Gyps fulvus ) , which was initially uncovered in the Colli Albani volcanic complex sou'-east of Rome , Italy , in 1889 , was find in implausibly proficient condition — it even had traces of its finespun flank feather and palpebra .
One of the ancient vulture’s fossilized feathers. These feathers were found to have been preserved by zeolite minerals.
Since the discovery , researchers have baffle over how exactly the razzing was so well - preserved . Now , in a Modern study published Tuesday ( March 18 ) in thejournal Geology , researchers suggest this rarefied preservation of such intricate details may be due to tiny atomic number 14 - rich crystals called zeolite that formed as the bird ’s remains were buried in ash tree from an erupting volcano .
This would mark the first time that fossilized soft tissue paper , like feathering , have ever been obtain preserved in volcanic ash tree , the scientists order .
" Fossil feather are commonly preserve in ancient mudrocks lay down in lakes or lagoons . The fogey vulture is preserved in ash deposits , which is super unusual , " study track authorValentina Rossi , a paleobiologist at University College Cork in Ireland , say in a program line .
A digital painting of the possible scenario before the vulture carcass was buried in a cloud of volcanic ash.
" When analysing the fossil vulture feather , we found ourselves in uncharted territory . These feathering are nothing like what we ordinarily see in other fossils , " she added .
Rare preservation
Thisfossilwas first found in the foothills of Italy ’s Mount Tuscolo in 1889 by a local landowner . fossilist at the time noted the rare preservation of feathers in volcanic rock . However , over the years , much of the dodo was lost , with only the feathers of one annexe and the bird ’s head and neck remaining . In recent years , scientist have reanalyzed the fossil , reveal the intricate details of thevulture ’s eyelids and pelt .
In the new work , the researchers used negatron microscopes and chemical substance tests to analyze the ossified plume , which bring out that the fogy were preserved in three dimensions . This is very strange for plume , which usually only allow for two - dimensionalfossilized carbon imprintsin rock-and-roll . Three - dimensional feathers have only ever previously been found in amber .
The researchers could see details of the feathering ' structure as small as one micron ( 0.001 mm ) , and discovered that the feathering fossils were made of zeolite , a mineral that is often associated with volcanic environments .
" zeolite are mineral plenteous in atomic number 14 and aluminium and are common in volcanic and hydrothermal geological options , " Rossi say . " Zeolites can form as elementary minerals ( with pretty crystals ) or can form secondarily , during the natural alteration of volcanic Methedrine and ash tree . "
This find is the first fourth dimension that feathers have been establish preserved in such a way , and with such high level of detail . Additionally , no other fossilshave ever been discoveredpreserved in zeolite .
The fact that these feathers were save in zeolite indicates that the ancient vulture was likely buried in a huge cloud of volcanic ash , which was much cooler than the pyroclastic flows that scorchedPompeiiduring the eruption of Mount Vesuvius .
" The fine preservation of the feather structures indicate that the vulture carcass was entombed in a low temperature pyroclastic deposit , " Rossi said .
This ash tree likely crystallized into zeoliteafter reacting with waterover the course of a few days , with petite crystals of the mineral gradually replacing every cell and detail of the bird ’s stiff .
" Volcanic deposits are associated with hot , tight - moving pyroclastic currents that will destruct soft tissue paper , " subject area co - authorDawid Iurino , an associate professor in vertebrate palaeontology at the University of Milan , said in the statement . " However , these geological configurations are complex and can let in low-down temperature deposits that can preserve soft tissues at the cellular tier . "
— Refuge from the worst mass extinction in Earth ’s history discovered fossilise in China
— gargantuan flying squirrels as big as cats once lived in Tennessee
— ' I knew they were something special ' : New York homeowner discovers mastodon jaw fossils in backyard
The researchers hope that this unique discovery could pave the way of life to finding other fossil hidden in volcanic rock .
" The fogy record is continually surprise us , be it novel fogy species , strange new body human body , or in this case , unexampled fashion of fogy saving . We never expect to get delicate tissue paper such as plumage preserved in a volcanic rock , " study co - authorMaria McNamara , a professor of palaeontology at University College Cork order in the statement .
" Discoveries such as these diversify the compass of potential rock-and-roll type where we can find fossil , even those preserving fragile flaccid tissues . "
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again , you will then be motivate to enter your display name .
