Analysis of palaeontological samples from the Cretaceous and Paleogene periods using computed tomography

Abstract

Computed Tomography is one of the contemporary, non-invasive tools used by Palaeontologists for studying various fossils. In particular, a technique known as Prop-agation Phase-Contrast Synchrotron Radiation Micro-tomography can be applied to high density bone samples, which produces fine structure differentiation with high resolution in three-dimensional renderings. A detailed description of this method is discussed, for two experiments at the Canadian Light Source. Four samples from the Cretaceous period are looked at, including a salamander, a coprolite, and hip and rib bones from a Tyrannosaurus rex. The rib bone features evidence for possible preserved vascular structures. Also, four insect samples from the Paleogene period were analysed in a micro-tomography experiment at McGill University. One of the insects, a beetle of family Chelonariidae, displays evidence of being an undiscovered species.