RAPID: High-Fidelity 3-D Digitization of Paleocene Vertebrate Fossils from Colombia: A Unique Opportunity for Science and Education

RAPID：哥伦比亚古新世脊椎动物化石的高保真 3D 数字化：科学和教育的独特机会

• 批准号: 1839102
• 负责人: Jonathan Bloch
• 金额: $ 7.42万
• 依托单位: University of Florida
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2018-08-15 至 2022-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1839102&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RAPID; Fidelity; Digitization; Paleocene; Vertebrate

Fossils from the Paleocene (~58 million years ago) in northeastern Colombia provide the oldest evidence of tropical rainforest ecosystems in South America and include many new species of side-necked turtles, crocodyliforms and the largest known snake Titanoboa, estimated to have been 40-50 feet long. These fossils were collected over a seven year period and are now on loan to the Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH) where they are being described and studied. Specimens must now be returned to Colombia, requiring that research quality reproductions be produced and stored at the FLMNH for continuing and future study. Many of the specimens are large and fragile and the time frame for the completion of specimen preparation, reproduction and return to Colombia is short. The project team will develop K-12 lesson plans that incorporate 3D printed fossils for use in the classroom. All visualizations and associated data will be available through Morphosource and freely available to researchers, educators and the public.With recent advances in 3D scanning and printing technology, it is now possible to more efficiently create both virtual and physical models that are far more useful than traditional molding and casting techniques. This project will create high-fidelity 3D scans of all of the Colombian fossils on loan to the FLMNH. These scans will facilitate quick completion of scientific studies focused on cranial osteology, body size, life history, systematics, and ecology of Titanoboa. Additionally, making these data freely available on-line through Morphosource will have a lasting impact on educational communities. For example, K-12 lesson plans will be further developed to extrapolate the size of Titanoboa from measurements of 3D printed vertebrae and infer past climatic conditions based on estimated body length. Free access to these data will provide the basic resources for countless important future studies that could catalyze rapid and innovative advances in the field of vertebrate paleobiology.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

哥伦比亚东北部古新世(约5800万年前)的化石提供了南美洲热带雨林生态系统最古老的证据，其中包括许多新物种的侧颈龟、鳄鱼和已知最大的蛇泰坦蛇，估计有40-50英尺长。这些化石是在七年的时间里收集的，现在被借给佛罗里达自然历史博物馆(FLMNH)，在那里它们正在被描述和研究。现在必须将标本送回哥伦比亚，要求制作高质量的研究复制品，并将其储存在外国语大学，以供继续和未来研究。许多标本体积大、易碎，完成标本准备、复制和返回哥伦比亚的时间很短。该项目团队将开发K-12课程计划，其中包含3D打印的化石，供课堂使用。所有可视化和相关数据都将通过Morphosource获得，研究人员、教育工作者和公众都可以免费获得。随着3D扫描和打印技术的最新进步，现在可以更有效地创建虚拟和物理模型，这些模型比传统的造型和铸造技术更有用。该项目将对借给外国语博物馆的所有哥伦比亚化石进行高保真的3D扫描。这些扫描将有助于快速完成侧重于泰坦巨蟒的颅骨骨学、身体大小、生活史、系统学和生态学的科学研究。此外，通过Morphosource在网上免费提供这些数据将对教育界产生持久的影响。例如，将进一步制定K-12课程计划，根据3D打印脊椎的测量推断泰坦巨蟒的大小，并根据估计的身体长度推断过去的气候条件。免费获取这些数据将为未来无数重要的研究提供基本资源，这些研究可能会促进脊椎动物古生物学领域的快速和创新进展。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。