How do volcanic deposits like zeolites preserve soft tissues?
Volcanic deposits, particularly those rich in ash, can preserve soft tissues through the formation of zeolite minerals. In a 2025 study, researchers analyzed a 30,000-year-old fossilized vulture from the Colli Albani volcanic complex in central Italy. They discovered that the bird’s feathers were preserved at the microscopic level within nanocrystalline zeolite, a mineral formed by the alteration of volcanic ash in the presence of water.
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