subfossil
Not quite petrified
A subfossil is an organism's remains that have begun but not completed the fossilization process—typically thousands rather than millions of years old.
Unlike true fossils, subfossils retain some original organic material: The subfossil bones still contained extractable DNA.
The term applies especially to Pleistocene and Holocene specimens, including recently extinct species like the dodo and moa.
Ancient glacial geological period
- HoloceneCurrent geological epoch
- megafaunaSpecies over 44 kilograms
- mammothExtinct elephant with curved tusks
- mastodonExtinct elephantine Pleistocene mammal
moa · dodo · thylacine · aurochs · glaciation · interglacial · extinction
Waterlogged decomposed vegetation
- permafrostPerpetually frozen earth layer
- mummifiedPreserved by desiccation
- desiccatedThoroughly dehydrated
- waterloggedSaturated with liquid
anoxic · coprolite · bone · shell · keratin · chitin · collagen · amber
Decaying carbon isotope
- carbon-14Radioactive isotope for dating
- calibrationAdjusting for measurement accuracy
- half-lifePeriod for fifty-percent reduction
- dendrochronologyDating via growth rings
stratigraphy · geochronology · chronology · isotope · thermoluminescence · diatoms
Past geological climate conditions
- biogeographyScience of species distribution
- endemicNative to one area
- refugiaIsolated survival zones
Pleistocene
Ancient glacial geological period
- HoloceneCurrent geological epoch
- megafaunaSpecies over 44 kilograms
- mammothExtinct elephant with curved tusks
mastodon · moa · dodo · thylacine · aurochs · glaciation · interglacial · extinction
peat
Waterlogged decomposed vegetation
- permafrostPerpetually frozen earth layer
- mummifiedPreserved by desiccation
- desiccatedThoroughly dehydrated
waterlogged · anoxic · coprolite · bone · shell · keratin · chitin · collagen · amber · calcified
radiocarbon
Decaying carbon isotope
- carbon-14Radioactive isotope for dating
- calibrationAdjusting for measurement accuracy
- half-lifePeriod for fifty-percent reduction
dendrochronology · stratigraphy · geochronology · chronology · isotope · thermoluminescence · diatoms
paleoclimate
Past geological climate conditions
- biogeographyScience of species distribution
- endemicNative to one area
- refugiaIsolated survival zones
subfossilpetrified
Solidified or fear-paralyzed
turned to stone · fresh · unpreserved · decomposed · living
fossil, fossils, fossilized, fossilize, fossilization, fossilizing, fossilizes