University of Bristol
EARTH
SCIENCES

The Experiments

At the University of Bristol Professor Derek Briggs and his fellow researchers have been developing and refining two different methods of experimental taphonomy. Most experiments involve something dead that becomes increasingly slimy with time.

Observations on the decay and degeneration of living organisms have long been used to enhance our understanding of the preservation of fossils. More recently, experiments have been carried out with the specific aim of reproducing and hence interpreting phenomena observed in exceptionally preserved fossils.

1. Decay and mineralisation experiments

These experiments are carried out to determine the rate of decay of the soft-tissues of an organism. Freshly killed organisms are used in these experiments, such as worms, insects and shrimps, in order to attempt to reconstruct the decay sequences for similar organisms in the fossil record.

2. Pyrolysis and Gas Chromotography/ Mass Spectrometry (py-GC/MS) experiments

These experiments are carried out using small amounts of fossilised material to determine the macromolecular chemical compounds that are present within a fossil. The experiments are usually performed on the hard parts of organisms, but can also be performed on the softer components.

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