Sharing Hi-Res 3D Fossil Models Online

3D Printing & Imaging Craft & Design Science

Interesting item from Dallas’s Southern Methodist University, where paleontologists Thomas L. Adams, Christopher Strganac, Michael J. Polcyn, and Louis L. Jacobs have used laser scanning to make a high-resolution model of a landmark outdoor dinosaur track in Glen Rose, Texas. Exposed to the elements in the town square, the track is (very slowly) eroding, and the team’s freely downloadable 3D model is intended to both preserve it for posterity and to facilitate its study by fossil buffs all over the world. Their results are published online in Palaeontologica Electronica. [Thanks, Alan Dove!]

4 thoughts on “Sharing Hi-Res 3D Fossil Models Online

  1. Shapeways says:

    So Cool.

    We Love how NASA shares 3D files too!!!

  2. James says:

    Sounds awesome, you could retopologise these models and use the originals for baking displacements. You can also get blender, anyone can download Blender 3D to import these models with since thats open source

Comments are closed.

Discuss this article with the rest of the community on our Discord server!
Tagged

I am descended from 5,000 generations of tool-using primates. Also, I went to college and stuff. I am a long-time contributor to MAKE magazine and makezine.com. My work has also appeared in ReadyMade, c't – Magazin für Computertechnik, and The Wall Street Journal.

View more articles by Sean Michael Ragan

ADVERTISEMENT

Maker Faire Bay Area 2023 - Mare Island, CA

Escape to an island of imagination + innovation as Maker Faire Bay Area returns for its 15th iteration!

Buy Tickets today! SAVE 15% and lock-in your preferred date(s).

FEEDBACK