Pigment From Fossils Reveals Color of Extinct Mammals for the First Time, Researchers Say
4th May 2016
Scientists from Virginia Tech and the University of Bristol have revealed how pigment can be detected in mammal fossils, a discovery that may end the guesswork in determining the colors of extinct species.
The researchers discovered the reddish brown color of two extinct species of bat from fossils dating back about 50 million years, marking the first time the colors of extinct mammals have been described through fossil analysis.
The techniques can be used to determine color from well-preserved animal fossils that are up to 300 million years old, researchers said.