3D scanning is extending its range of use, thanks to paleontologists who worked with the technology at a digging site in Kenya to scan fossils.
The technology has often been used for other purposes, such as recreating crime scenes and mapping old buildings, according to CNET. Paleontologists began their research on Aug. 24th and scanned fossils for two weeks, working in collaboration with the Turkana Basin Institute along with Denis Baev and Francisco Correa, two 3D specialists from 3D scanning firm Artec. The goal is to make sure the fossils don't get damaged, and that they can be studied in the future.
The two 3D scanners, named Eva and Spider, faced several challenges in the Turkana Basin, such as the climate and a lack of a power supply. The laptop that received the 3D files overheated in the sun, and the team had to move some of the fossils in the shade because the sunlight would prevent them from getting accurate scans. The researchers were able to increase the scanners' battery supply to two days by disconnecting the battery when they weren't using the scanners.
Despite the challenges, the researchers were able to scan several findings, such as the skull of a crocodile and the skeleton of another crocodile that was 1.8 million years old. Other findings that were scanned included a giant tortoise and an elephant that is extinct, CNET reported.
"The fossils are almost two million years old. Time and weather conditions have caused visible damage to them," Baev wrote in a blog post. "Our 3D scanner will record their current condition, before it worsens further. Replicas of the fossils will be created from the 3D models and will replace the original remains, which will be safely removed to a museum."
Additional scanning was done at the Institute's Lab after the team's work with the on-site fossils was completed. The scanning at the lab was done on fossilized remains of living endangered animals from Sibiloi National Park and hominid skulls.
