Scientists shed light on Burgess Shale preservation for first time

The fossil Waptia from the Burgess Shale, Canada. New Oxford University research suggests that the mineralogy of the surrounding earth is key to conserving soft parts of organisms, and finding more exceptional fossils like the Waptia. Image credit: Yale University Fossils that preserve entire organisms (including both hard and soft body parts) are critical to our understanding of evolution and ancient life on Earth. However, these exceptional deposits tend to decay before they can be fossilised, and are extremely rare. As a result little is known about the environmental conditions which stop this process. However, new Oxford University research suggests that the mineralogy of the surrounding earth is key to conserving soft parts of organisms, and finding more exceptional fossils.  Part-funded by NASA, the work could potentially support the Mars Rover Curiosity in its sample analysis, and speed up the search for traces of life on other planets. Perhaps the most iconic of all exceptional fossil deposits is the Burgess Shale of Canada, popularised by Stephen J. Gould's Wonderful Life.