r/oddlysatisfying • u/mamlambo • 3d ago
Here is another fossil prep I did, this fossil penguin I found took me 5 months to complete [OC]
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
185
u/Syngularity-Infinyt 3d ago
How many rocks do you have to go through in your life to be able to see two strange dots and instantly know there's a skeleton in that rock? I'm so impressed!
57
u/mamlambo 3d ago
I've looked at soooo many penguin bones and skeletons on Sketchfab that I was pretty sure it was some penguin bones based on the size, shape and they were not hollow like a flying bird.
3
80
u/bluesmaker 3d ago
Is there a specific area you look for fossils? Not asking for the site just curious how you go about knowing where to look.
81
u/mamlambo 3d ago
Sedimentary areas where there is some erosion, rivers or beaches are great for that.
30
u/Saugaguy 3d ago
Incredible! Can you get an idea of the species from the small amounts of bone showing or does that just indicate that something has fossilized within that stone? Are there other ways to get a confident read of what is inside before opening them up?
15
u/mamlambo 3d ago
You can CT scan the rock and then 3D print the fossil if the rock and bone have a distinct difference in density, I did this for this turtle skull: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwdtlTSwwlw
15
u/Vampeloth 3d ago
I find fossils very fascinating, and would like to know about the carving process a bit.
How do people get such clean surfaces of the uncovered? Does it have something to do with the differences in composition, giving layers, that helps the regular stone get chipped off before the fossil is damaged?
How does the acid help prep the fossil? Does it soften the rock, or harden the fossil itself somehow? Or does it do something completely different?
12
u/mamlambo 3d ago
The acid removes the last 1mm of rock that is "stuck" to the bones. The rock is a concretion which is grains of mud cemented together by calcite (calcium carbonate). The acid dissolves the calcite and the grains then fall away from the bone. You buffer the acid with calcium phosphate so it prefers to leave the bone alone, along with a few other tricks to protect the bone.
9
10
u/Calflyer 3d ago
Why is it not finished?
13
5
u/paradox_valestein 3d ago
Leaving some rock behind so it can keep the structure. Old bones are fragile and are in pieces, so you need something to hold them in place.
(I'm talking out of my butt, don't take it for granted)
5
3
u/dhimdi 3d ago
Isn't there any solution that only dissolves whatever material they want to get rid off?
3
u/mamlambo 3d ago
Acetic acid (vinegar) works but it is very slow and would take months or even years to do. The airscribe speeds it up.
5
3
3
3
2
u/aphaits 3d ago
I wonder if you are more suceptible to rheumatism on your right hand due to long exposure to vibrations from the drill.
7
2
u/Shutaru_Kanshinji 3d ago
I love paleontology. I am deeply impressed by the skill that allowed you recognize the presence of a fossil and then painstakingly expose it.
2
3
1
1
1
1
u/Silly_DizzyDazzle 3d ago
Thank you for sharing your working process. I find it so amazing you know there is a fossil from the little bit of bone sticking out. Soo freaking cool!!!!
1
u/random_sunshine 3d ago
Im such numpty sometimes !! As i watch that my brain went ooo they had roast chicken dinners too ! .......... I no i no !
1
1
u/truequeenbananarama 3d ago
that's amazing. op has the patience to work 5 months on uncovering it, and I am so impatient I skipped to the end of the 40second video
1
u/van_goghs_left_nut 3d ago
Amazing thanks for sharing! Roughly how old would you place this fossil?
1
u/mamlambo 3d ago
Maybe around 4 to 6 million years
1
u/van_goghs_left_nut 3d ago
Absolutely wild, it would have been contemporary to some of the earliest hominids then. Thanks again!
1
1
1
1
u/luscaloy 2d ago
question, why not carve the whole rock out? half the fossil still inside
1
u/mamlambo 2d ago
I exposed the important bones used for the identification of the species [unknown for now] and left some rock to give it some strength. It's also good to leave some rock for future generations to use in tests as the tech will improve over time.
1
1
1
u/Macktheattack 2d ago
Forgive me if this is a stupid question, how much would be fossilized? Would it only be the outer shell of the animal or would the organs and such be fossilized to some degree too?
1
1
802
u/mamlambo 3d ago
I had been looking for a fossil penguin for about 3 years and finally found one a year or so ago. I used an air scribe and acid with a buffer to prepare the fossil. I donated it to our national museum here in New Zealand as it is a significant find which will be studied further. This is a hobby of mine and I have a workshop where I display some of my fossils so people can touch and interact with them.