Dan,
What I meant was that the organic bones that supported the dinosaur in
life were replaced underground by minerals that formed an exact cast
of the originals. These are precise enough replicas that they carry
the information, including isotope signatures, LAGs, etc. that provide
the raw material of paleohistology. If I am wrong, or have stated the
process incorrectly, please tell me. Many who come to AMNH are
interested in dinosaurs but have never considered the process of
fossilization. My only wish is to convey accurate information to AMNH
visitors.
Thank you!
Jerry Alpern
On Apr 21, 2015, at 8:51 PM, Dan Chure <danchure@easilink.com> wrote:
I don't think this is quite true: "most fossils are themselves casts
of the original bones." If it was, there would be no discipline of
paleohistology.
Dan
On 4/21/2015 10:37 AM, Victoria & Jerrold Alpern wrote:
Thanks! I had thought both legs of AMNH 5027 were replicas of CM
9380, which I assume is the holotype we sold to the Carnegie in the
1940s. Now I’m going to have to revise what I tell visitors! They
often assume that what they see are “fakes”, by which they mean
copies. They are happy to learn that most of our 4th Floor fossils
are genuine, although I always add that most fossils are themselves
casts of the original bones.
Jerry Alpern