2 Million &1AD

Let’s get this out of the way: I am a sucker for scientific art, period. This particular work, a fossilization machine, was created for the Tatton Biennial by Austin Houldsworth. He is attempting to use this machine to create fossils in a matter of months, a process that usually takes thousands of years and requires specific circumstances to be present. According to his project description, “the project starts with the attempt to petrify both a Tatton-grown pineapple and pheasant, and conclude when it is a human that ends up fossilised.”

Via: We Make Money, Not Art

A side view of the apparatus showing some sort of valve mounted on its wooden structure.

3 Replies to “2 Million &1AD”

  1. Josh, you find the coolest stuff! Any insight on how this thing works? I’m not overly familiar with the fossilisation process…

  2. Justin! From what I remember and have read, a dead organism needs to be covered with sediment almost immediately otherwise it decomposes. From then I guess it chemically converts to minerals…slowly. Cool stuff!

  3. As for the actual machine, I don’t remember the article going into too much detail. Either that or I didn’t read into enough. ha

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