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Dinosaur molecules

17 March 2014
Catastrophism

At http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/chemical-ghosts-of-… … focuses on the research of Mary Schweitzer who came out with the idea organic molecules can be preserved for millions of years, entombed within rocks. She looked at dinosaurs – out of preference. Her team claim to have extracted  structures resembling blood vessels and the residue of proteins. These fossils open a new window on the past. However, Schweitzer adds, for 'time preservation' to take place it needs to happen rapidly – the decay of soft tissue must be slower than the fossilisation process. In other words, dinosaur molecules can be preserved in the rocks only if the fossilisation and burial in sediment of the dinosaur (or any other creature) happened very quickly. The fact there was resistance to her theory of preservation of soft tissue (traces) may actually be more about the mainstream view that fossilisation takes place over a long period of time – as opposed to instantly. 

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