Naked Science Forum
Non Life Sciences => Geology, Palaeontology & Archaeology => Topic started by: iacopo.russo on 07/10/2021 15:23:31
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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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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.
May I also inquire, have the insects changed over time, or are they the same today?
They have changed.
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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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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"How can we date coprolites?"
Tinder?