Before a dinosaur skeleton can be built, the bones must be carefully cleaned in a lab. After the bones of a dinosaur have been dug up, they will be sent to a scientific laboratory. Here, scientists can set about the task of cleaning and preserving the bones. They have been buried for millions of years and need a lot of looking after.
1. Writing A Condition Report
When bones are dug up, they’re wrapped in bandages before being transported to the lab. The first thing the scientist does is fill in a condition report. This records whether the bone was damaged.
2. Under The Microscope
Most of the scientist’s vvork is done whilst looking through a microscope at the bone. He uses a pneumatic pen, which acts like a mini road-drill and breaks away the rock from around the bone. The rock around the bone is called the matrix. A lot of it may have become stuck to the bone over many millions of years.
3. Injecting The Rock
The scientist injects a special glue into the rock to stop it breaking. Any gaps in the rock will also be filled to make sure the fossil does not fall apart.
4. The Acid Bath
An acid preparation sink, or acid bath, may also sometimes be used for stripping off layers of matrix that are hard to remove in any other way. The scientist wears protective gloves to save his hands being burned by acid.
5. Removing Dust From The Surface
Taking care of a dinosaur bone is a very delicate job. The scientist brushes away pieces of dust from the surface. For very dirty bones, the scientist may dip the brush in water or use a mild detergent.
6. Blasting With Air
The next stage in the cleaning and preparing process involves using an air abrasive machine. This machine takes off very tiny amounts of rock without damaging the bone beneath.
7. Writing The Treatment Report
After the scientist has finished working on the bone, he fills out aTreatment Report. The report lists everything he has done to the bone since it has been in the lab. This is important information for any scientists who work on the bone at a later date. They vvill be able to see what chemicals were used.
Finally, a record of every bone is entered into a computer.
Storing The Dinosaur In A Museum
Dinosaur bones are usually dug up dry places. They also need to be stored in a dry room. This is so they do not get worn away by tiny drops of water in the air. If the museum air is not dry enough, bones may get damaged. Then they will have to be sent to the lab to be repaired.