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  4. How can we date coprolite?
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How can we date coprolite?

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Offline iacopo.russo (OP)

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How can we date coprolite?
« on: 07/10/2021 15:23:31 »
Freddie asked a few questions about coprolite and the intects contained inside it:

If the animal that produced the coprolite is unknown, how can a date be attributed to it? Furthermore, how can a date of 230ma determined for an animal from coprolite? This date is very close to the oldest dinosaur date, if in fact it was a dinosaur. May I also inquire, have the insects changed over time, or are they the same today?
On a different theme, may I ask how the numerous examples of dinosaur 'soft tissue' now found, have survived for tens or even hundreds of millions of years?


What do you think?
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Re: How can we date coprolite?
« Reply #1 on: 07/10/2021 15:38:25 »
Quote from: iacopo.russo on 07/10/2021 15:23:31
If the animal that produced the coprolite is unknown, how can a date be attributed to it? Furthermore, how can a date of 230ma determined for an animal from coprolite? This date is very close to the oldest dinosaur date, if in fact it was a dinosaur.
Fossil poo is dated the same way that the bones are dated.  In general the strata that the coprolite is found is dated.
Quote from: iacopo.russo on 07/10/2021 15:23:31
May I also inquire, have the insects changed over time, or are they the same today?
They have changed.
Quote from: iacopo.russo on 07/10/2021 15:23:31
On a different theme, may I ask how the numerous examples of dinosaur 'soft tissue' now found, have survived for tens or even hundreds of millions of years?
There are several examples.  The term soft tissue is somewhat misleading; it's not like there is a piece of meat or something.  The 'soft tissues' are things like microscopic collagen fibers. 
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Re: How can we date coprolite?
« Reply #2 on: 07/10/2021 16:50:42 »
Even if the coprolite is devoid of heavy metals, the surrounding strata can usually be dated by isotope ratios from radionuclide decay.
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Re: How can we date coprolite?
« Reply #3 on: 07/10/2021 19:24:41 »
"How can we date coprolites?"
Tinder?
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Tags: coprolite  / radionuclide decay  / fossil dating 
 

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