Chemistry of Fossils (Virtual)

The Hell Creek Formation in Montana and Dakotas is a fossil treasure trove from around 68 to 66 million years ago. Some dinosaur fossils from the Hell Creek Formation contain preserved biomolecules such as collagen, yet what preserves these biomolecules is still unknown.

Dr. Yamamura studied these biomolecules to figure out how this preservation occurs. His fieldwork took place in eastern Montana and South-central Utah where he used chemical signatures for paleoclimate investigation. His research includes petrography, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and stable isotope geochemistry.