FOSSIL DIGITISATION & CONSERVATION

Fossils are non-renewable natural history records. Whether exposed in-situ in outdoor environments or accessioned in museum collections, specimens are continuously vulnerable to damage from weathering, erosion, environmental fluctuations, physical transport, suboptimal storage conditions, or sudden catastrophic events.

Certain fossil records, such as trackways, bonebeds, and large in-situ specimens, are inherently tied to their surrounding strata, sedimentary structures, and spatial configurations, making their removal for off-site preservation impractical. If the locality is influenced by weathering, erosion, or anthropogenic disturbance, the associated scientific data may be permanently lost. Consequently, timely and high-fidelity documentation is vital for preserving both the specimens themselves and their broader geological contexts.

The founder of the research centre is interested in the on-site and off-site preservation of fossils, actively testing and applying various digital technologies, including photogrammetry, 3D scanning, and computed tomography, to create two-dimensional and three-dimensional digital records for fossil sites and museum specimens. These datasets not only facilitate long-term preservation and research but also expand applications in education and natural history conservation.