Fossil Avatars Created with New Technology Transform Study of Dinosaurs

Paleontology may involve studying fossils and remnants from the past, but that doesn't mean future techniques aren't making the process a bit easier--and more insightful. Researchers are now introducing new techniques for visualizing fossils that are transforming our understanding of evolutionary history.

So what is this new method? The scientists are using something called X-ray tomography, which allows fossils to be virtually extracted from the rock in a fraction of the time necessary to prepare specimens by hand and without risk of damaging the fossil. The technique essentially creates a virtual fossil avatar, which can reveal internal and external anatomical features in unprecedented detail.

"The increasing availability of fossil avatars will allow us to bring long-extinct animals back to life, virtually, by using computer models to work out how they moved and fed," said Stephan Lautenschlager, one of the researchers, in a news release. "However, in many cases we are hampered by our limited understanding of the biology of the modern species to which we would ideally like to compare the fossils."

Already, scientists have used these models to find out why sauropods have such long necks, as an example. By compiling more of these virtual avatars, paleontologists can learn a lot more about the ancient world, and can even compare species from different time periods in order to see how evolution progressed.

Not only that, but scientists are making their models available for free in order to help encourage future discoveries and research.

"Paleontologists are making their fossil avatars freely available as files for 3D printing and so, soon, anyone who wants one can have a scientifically accurate model of their favorite fossil for research, teaching, or just for fun!" said Imran Rahman, one of the researchers, in a news release.

The findings are published in the journal Trends in Ecology & Evolution.