"Reviving the Past: X-ray Technology Unveils Mystery Marine Reptile"
X-ray analysis has led to the identification of a previously-unidentified marine reptile fossil discovered in Edgeøya, Svalbard, which lived around 240 million years ago. The study suggests that fossils from the Middle Triassic Botneheia Formation in Svalbard, Norway, are particularly suitable for radiographic imaging. The fossils have high X-ray contrast due to the presence of sulfate minerals, notably sulfate baryte, which could be linked to conditions created by ancient volcanic activity. This discovery not only demonstrates the utility of X-ray techniques for studying these fossils but also identifies conditions that can form fossils well-suited for these techniques, in Svalbard and potentially elsewhere.