| Subject: Re: Don't use chemistry or location to identify fossil cells |
| From: Wretch Fossil |
| Date: 26/03/2011, 10:15 |
| Newsgroups: alt.sci.seti,sci.med,sci.med.cardiology |
New edition:
Don’t use chemistry or location to identify fossil cells
Many people like to use chemical composition of material to identify
fossil cells (note 1). However, Wikipedia article says clearly:
“This process (in fossilization) can occur in very small spaces, such
as within the cell wall of a plant cell.” (note 2)
“In some cases the original remains of the organism have been
completely dissolved or otherwise destroyed.” (note 3)
So, many fossil cells can be just casts. That means those fossil cells
are just like rock minerals except for their shape/size and their
origins in biology. Just one recent example:
http://www.wretch.cc/album/show.php?i=lin440315&b=22&f=1472468105&p=95
Many anatomists need to study the location (context) of cells in order
to identify fossil cells. They are not used to things that are long
dead and moved out of context as shown in this micrograph:
http://www.wretch.cc/album/show.php?i=lin440315&b=22&f=1472468103&p=93
So, they may not be sure about fossil cell identification.
Note 1: a recent example
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-overturns-oldest-evidence-life-earth.html
Note 2: Wikipedia article paragraph
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil#Permineralization
Note 3: Wikipedia article paragraph
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil#Casts_and_molds