Jerry W. Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 Here is a slice of petrified palmwood I found last weekend. I noted upon a close examination that the vascular bundles (the dots seen all over the surface) appear to have been distorted from a round shape to more of a half-moon shape, with the distorted side facing roughly 4 o'clock in most instances. I asked a friend of mine about this since his speciality is petrified wood, and was told such a thing was relatively common due to compression of the wood prior to fossilization. Does that sound right? Any paleo-botanists out there that can confirm what I've been told? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 In my opinion distortion is a possibility but also the angle of cut through the specimen. A round straw, for example, can look oval when you cut it though at an angle. 4 Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry W. Posted February 19, 2020 Author Share Posted February 19, 2020 1 hour ago, Tidgy's Dad said: In my opinion distortion is a possibility but also the angle of cut through the specimen. A round straw, for example, can look oval when you cut it though at an angle. I hadn't thought of the "angle" angle. Great idea. I'll check to see if that is the case. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 4 hours ago, Tidgy's Dad said: In my opinion distortion is a possibility but also the angle of cut through the specimen. A round straw, for example, can look oval when you cut it though at an angle. Will never appear crescent-shaped unless it is compressed. Of course, that may have been their original shape. Lack of fluid -- e.g. drying out -- may have also caused a change in shape. This is another instance of where Occam's Razor may be applied. Would the simplest explanation have the best chance of being the correct one? 1 Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mahnmut Posted February 22, 2020 Share Posted February 22, 2020 Hi, this image comes from a seller of recent wood (gdholz), not fossil nor compressed, but very similar to your sample. Best Regards, J 1 Try to learn something about everything and everything about something Thomas Henry Huxley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilNerd Posted February 22, 2020 Share Posted February 22, 2020 I’d say your example has some degree of compaction. https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/paleo/fossilsarchive/compac.html 1 The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. -Neil deGrasse Tyson Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't. -Bill Nye (The Science Guy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry W. Posted February 22, 2020 Author Share Posted February 22, 2020 1 hour ago, FossilNerd said: I’d say your example has some degree of compaction. https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/paleo/fossilsarchive/compac.html Thank you for the very instructive article. Quite helpful. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilNerd Posted February 22, 2020 Share Posted February 22, 2020 33 minutes ago, Jerry W. said: Thank you for the very instructive article. Quite helpful. No worries. Glad to help! The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. -Neil deGrasse Tyson Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't. -Bill Nye (The Science Guy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry W. Posted February 24, 2020 Author Share Posted February 24, 2020 On 2/22/2020 at 6:12 AM, Mahnmut said: Hi, this image comes from a seller of recent wood (gdholz), not fossil nor compressed, but very similar to your sample. Best Regards, J Amazing photography of that palm wood. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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