Ultraviolet (UV) light allows people to view intricate structures in fossils that are otherwise impossible to observe with the naked eye under normal light.
Using UV light, geobiologist Dr. Klaus Wolkenstein from the Geosciences Centre at the University of Göttingen and a researcher from the University of Bonn examined the fossilized specimens of the Triassic seashells Pleuronectites laevigatus, which contains preserved color patterns.
Different Fluorescent Colors in Fossilized Seashells
According to Wolkenstein's study, titled "Fluorescent color patterns in the basal pectinid Pleuronectites from the Middle Triassic of Central Europe: origin, fate and taxonomic implications of fluorescence" published in the journal Paleontology, he identified the oldest fluorescent color patterns in the 240-year-old seashells from the Mesozoic Era.
Wolkenstein noted that traces of color patterns in fossils from the Mesozoic Era are rarely observed. The press release reports that investigations using UV light of scallops from the Triassic period showed that they are well-preserved more frequently than previously thought.
UV light excites organic compounds in fossils, which causes them to glow and reveal a surprising variety of color patterns with variations of stripes, zigzags, and flame patterns. The diverse color patterns resemble today's seashells found on a beach.
However, today's seashells do not show any fluorescence. Wolkenstein explained that it could be because fossilized scallops underwent fossilization through oxidation of the original pigments.
The fossils show different fluorescence depending on the area where they were found, which is a surprising discovery. Wolkenstein said that the color spectrum ranges from yellow to red in all transitions, suggesting clear regional differences in the fossilization of these seashells.
Using UV Light in Studying Fossilized Remains
Paleontologists are now using lasers to study fossils in more exquisite detail than ever before. According to an article in Chemical & Engineering News, UV light is often used to illuminate minerals, and now researchers can use it to study fossils, which are essentially a mineral.
But not all fossils fluoresce under normal UV light, which is why some use high-intensity lasers to detect fluorescence in virtually all fossils. Tom Kaye of the Foundation for Scientific Advancement said that they would know two different geochemistries are going on in a fossil if they see two different colors.
One area that proves UV light is useful is in weeding out composite skeletons. Fossils in different burial conditions have different mineral structures, but if one part of the group of bones found fluoresces a separate color, they could tell that it could be two sets of bones.
As lasers become cheaper, using them in scientific studies is more feasible for researchers to adopt. Many scientists now use drones to fly their laser with a video camera over fossil areas at night to find exposed bones. Kaye thinks this method opens a new age for outlining ancient fossils because they now have a new tool to aid them in their discovery.
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