An old fake fossil

[erik simpson]

Tridentinosaurus antiquus (1931) from early Permian in the Alps has now
been discovered not to represent remarkable soft-tissue preservation,
but is mainly painted. However, under the paint there are a few poorly
preserved bones, so it is, in a fossil. The new paper concludes with

"Modern tomographic methods might reveal novel information about the
preserved skeleton but, until then, we suggest caution in using T.
antiquus in phylogenetic studies." "Caution" is the word for it.


https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pala.12690

[John Harshman]

Now that's bizarre. I wonder if the forger's identity could be discovered.

[erik simpson]

I tried Wiki, but there isn't an entry (yet). I expect there will be
one before long. But I did a little searching, and came across the very
relevant gem:

https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/2016/06/10/tridentinosaurus-antiquus-a-glider-ancestor-not-a-protorosaur/

[John Harshman]

Let's not bring Peters into it, though all his fakes are apparently
sincerely intended. Is digital paint better than physical paint?

[erik simpson]

I'd guess that physical paint is easier to spot than good digital
"paint". Misused AI ought to carry the scientific death penalty.

[John Harshman]

I suppose you've seen this by now:

https://www.vice.com/en/article/4a389b/ai-midjourney-rat-penis-study-retracted-frontiers

[Popping Mad]

Thet Teyler museum has a whole exhibit on this...