Question Details	Asked By	Asked On
The Process of Fossilization	MikeRosen	10/01/04
What is the process of fossilization? What is happening over time? Is it chemical, physical, a blend, what? Also, are there known rates of fossilization? I am intrigued by the fact that someone got Neandertal DNA out of a specimen tens of thousands of years old--that couldn't have been a fossil, right? Thanks, rsalier. Mike
Answered By		Answered On
rsalier		10/01/04
There are many ways that something can become fossilized. For most, there is a process called mineralization where minerals from water in the soil or from riverine systems slowly replaces the bone, wood, shell or even soft tissue materials with minerals. This preserves the fossil in near original condition at the time of the death of the plant or animal. Other fossils are casts which means that the animal or plant rotted away and the cavity was filled in and later turned to stone. In some other cases such as very dry or very cold conditions, the animal or plant desicates or is frozen until it is found. In these cases, it is with in the realm of possibility that the ancient DNA can be recoverable. Though thru a process called racitimazation, the molecular sturcture changes and is not fully recoverable. In the first process it is both chemical and physical in nature due to pressures and mineral content of the environment, in the second mostly physical and in the last time is a factor along with both chemical and physical environments. Rates of fossilization are impossible to predict due to the factors involved. And yes, it does not need to be turned to stone to be a fossil. Frozen Mastadons in the tundra are fossils but frozen not stone.

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