Why Magma Did Not Destroy Fossil Cells
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Why Magma Did Not Destroy Fossil Cells

Many people wonder why magma did not destroy fossil cells. The reason may be that magma does not vaporize or liquidfy all the solid particles. Magma does contain solid crystals (minerals) (Ref. 1). Biological cells can be petrified or permineralized through the process of pseudomorphic replacement (Ref. 2, 3, 4, Fig. 1). Such fossilized cells may be chemically the same as other minerals in the magma. The thing that differentiates particles in magma is that fossil cells have the shape and size of biological cells, as they originate from biology, while abiotic (purely physical) particles do not have the shape and size of certain unique biological cells, such as mammalian red blood cells, neurons, etc.

Fig. 1: Mammalian red blood cell fossils found in “Moon Rock”

Quote from Ref. 1: “Besides molten rock, magma may also contain suspended crystals and dissolved gas and sometimes also gas bubbles.”

Ref. 2: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudomorph#Pseudomorph_in_other_fields

Quote from Ref. 2:  "Fossils are often formed by pseudomorphic replacement of the remains by mineral matter. Examples include petrified wood and pyritizedgastropod shells."

Ref. 3: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrification

Quote from Ref. 3: "In geologypetrifaction or petrification is the process by which organic material is converted intostone through the replacement of the original material and the filling of the original pore spaces with minerals. Petrified wood is a common result of this process, but all organisms, from bacteria to vertebrates, can be petrified. Petrification takes place through a combination of two similar processes-permineralization and replacement. These processes create replicas of the original specimen that are similar down to the microscopic level."

Ref. 4: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permineralization

Quote from Ref. 4: "Permineralization is a type of fossilization involving deposits of minerals within the cells of organisms." 

Read more at  http://www.wretch.cc/blog/lin440315&category_id=0

 

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