Question

What are resin fossils and why are they important?

Answer 1

Hint: Initially we can understand that the term "fossil" actually means the remains of a prehistoric organism that was kept preserved or to someone or something that is ancient and out of date. The preserved remains of a prehistoric organism that have been found within a rock is basically a fossil. Consider substances that are excreted by a tree or plant, those are generally resins. Then we can put the meanings together to understand what resin fossils are.

Complete answer:
Let us understand that resins are plant exudes that are insoluble in water, they also tend to become harder when they are exposed to sunlight. They often get generated when the plant is injured. Parts like the tree bark, flowers, a shrub’s buds can create resins. While the resin fossils are those which were exuded by trees then caught in the resin (rather than sap).

So the creatures that can be caught within such resins are mainly insects and other small animal species. These fossils are important because remember that when the insect is caught in the resin, it is preserved, and when the resin is fossilized into amber, the insect remains whole. So that helps us to study any part of the insect in this way because the creatures wont decay within it. Then if we use a microscope we will understand that the complete resin fossil will be as desired.

Amber is the fossilized resin of a plant. Insects and other small organisms that were embedded in the resin until it hardened have been known to survive. Amber is used mainly to study or research more about resin fossils, although it is more frequently used in order to make jewellery and sculpture also.

Note: Amber comes in a range of shades, such as gold, green, red, brown, black, or kind of bluish. The commonly used amber comes from trees like conifers, or mainly pine trees, but these trees no longer exist. Various amber sources have been dated millions of years ago.