Still_human Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 Are things that had been entirely covered by amber(as opposed to only partially, where it would still be exposed at some point), still soft, with moisture, or does amber somehow draw the moisture out of whatever has been sealed inside, drying it/turning it into a husk? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 I’ve heard of enhydro inclusions, water in a cavity of the amber, so I don’t think it absorbs it. “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snolly50 Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 11 hours ago, Still_human said: Are things that had been entirely covered by amber(as opposed to only partially, where it would still be exposed at some point), still soft, with moisture, or does amber somehow draw the moisture out of whatever has been sealed inside, drying it/turning it into a husk? I have seen many insect inclusions in amber that are clearly "husks." Of course it is entirely possible they were desiccated before entombment. It is also common to see insects with bubbles in close proximity. I have always believed these were gases escaping from the dead animal. As WhodamanHD has reported enhydros are also seen, and this would seem to refute the idea that amber absorbs water. There are also bubbles of atmosphere that have been recovered and analyzed. It is my understanding that this has established that atmospheric oxygen levels were once significantly higher. Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, also are remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. - Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Still_human Posted September 30, 2018 Author Share Posted September 30, 2018 15 hours ago, snolly50 said: I have seen many insect inclusions in amber that are clearly "husks." Of course it is entirely possible they were desiccated before entombment. It is also common to see insects with bubbles in close proximity. I have always believed these were gases escaping from the dead animal. As WhodamanHD has reported enhydros are also seen, and this would seem to refute the idea that amber absorbs water. There are also bubbles of atmosphere that have been recovered and analyzed. It is my understanding that this has established that atmospheric oxygen levels were once significantly higher. Yeah, I think you're right about the husks. Or that they were partially exposed. I didn't know about enhydros in amber, but that's probably just cause it never crossed my mind lol. I know of gasses though. This came up because I saw a tiny encapsulated mammal turd from the Cretaceous(or so labeled), and it still filled the entire area, and wasn't loose inside its space, so it didn't look desicated or shrunken like it was dry. I just couldn't help wondering if it was still a gross poop, and that it would be funny if someone was cutting into it to get at it, and the saw blade or drill bit splattered it out on the person--the amber equivant of the flaming paper bag. I wonder if they would feel honored and lucky? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelius Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 I'm sure I've read that, once exposed to the atmosphere, water can very slowly evaporate out of the amber. How true that is, I don't know. But I'm certain you'd never cut into an entirely entombed insect and find any form of moisture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Still_human Posted September 30, 2018 Author Share Posted September 30, 2018 So you think the moisture gets drawn out of something fully entombed while still fully hydrated? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelius Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 17 minutes ago, Still_human said: So you think the moisture gets drawn out of something fully entombed while still fully hydrated? That's what I've heard. I read that water inclusions slowly disappear over time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Still_human Posted October 1, 2018 Author Share Posted October 1, 2018 23 hours ago, Aurelius said: That's what I've heard. I read that water inclusions slowly disappear over time. Oh wow, that's very surprising! Apparently there are enhydro inclusions found in amber these days, so I guess it doesn't all get absorbed, or maybe that's just with younger amber and the water just hasn't had the time to fully be absorbed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 1 hour ago, Still_human said: Oh wow, that's very surprising! Apparently there are enhydro inclusions found in amber these days, so I guess it doesn't all get absorbed, or maybe that's just with younger amber and the water just hasn't had the time to fully be absorbed. Or while the amber is buried the water can not get out but once it is exposed the water can get out. Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Still_human Posted October 1, 2018 Author Share Posted October 1, 2018 42 minutes ago, ynot said: Or while the amber is buried the water can not get out but once it is exposed the water can get out. interesting. That would mean it would have to be pourous. A lot of inclusions I see I think very much look hydrated, like they were just trapped a day before, but time could be a factor, and maybe amber type, too. I think amber from different places can be pretty different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Still_human Posted October 1, 2018 Author Share Posted October 1, 2018 I was reading about how it IS a porous material, and that it's common for inclusions to fall apart immediately if opened up and exposed to air. if it was totally airtight and sealed, the inclusions wouldn't decompose, so that would mean that oxygen is permeating through the amber? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.