Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You’ll need an organism—preferably one with hard bones or a ...

It takes a long time to make a fossil. The fossilized dinosaur bones you see in museums spent tens of millions of years buried deep underground, transformed by heat, pressure, and chemical reactions.

Paleontologists have found a way to accelerate the fossilization process in the laboratory. The method can offer new insights into how things fossilize and may be useful for comparison with real ...