Anaerobic sulfur-cycling #microbes are responsible for the exceptional three-dimensional preservation of marine fossils in oxygen-depleted environments by triggering chemical reactions that form structural minerals inside and around the bones prior to skeletal collapse.
#EarthScience #Paleontology #Geochemistry #Microbiology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/03/es03262601.html
Scientists uncover the secret behind perfectly 3D preserved ‘sea reptile’ fossils

For years, scientists believed these fossils were preserved simply because the seafloor had no oxygen