ScienceAugust 29, 2026
pyrite
PY-ryte
Definition
A common, naturally occurring iron sulfide mineral with a metallic luster and brassy yellow color, which sometimes replaces biological soft tissues during fossilization.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek word 'pyr', meaning 'fire', because the mineral produces sparks when struck against steel.
In the news
In this article, the word refers to the mineral film that replaced the delicate soft tissues of sea lily tube feet, allowing them to be preserved and visible in the fossil record.
In the entire 485-million-year fossil record of sea lilies, only one fossil had ever been found with the tube feet the animals catch their food with, and a pair of crushed specimens from a Quebec quarry has now produced the second and oldest case, at about 452
Read the full article ↗ScienceBlog.com