Bondingremains

Bondingremains, sometimes rendered as bonding remains, refers to the residual structures and molecules that persist after biological or chemical bonding processes have occurred within or on organic or inorganic materials. The term is most commonly used in the fields of paleontology, forensic science, and materials science to describe the trace evidence that indicates how organisms or substances were previously bonded together. In paleontology, bondingremains are examined to understand the taphonomic processes that preserve organic tissues; they may include mineralized matrixes, proteinaceous films, or fossilized polymer networks that retain the spatial arrangement of the original tissue. Forensic scientists analyze bondingremains to reconstruct postmortem changes at the microstructural level, for example, to determine the timing of bodily swelling or the extent of mechanical deformation during burial.

In materials science, bondingremains record the footprint of polymer crosslinking, binding agents, or composite interfaces after aging or degradation. By spectroscopic or imaging techniques, researchers can detect shifts in chemical bonding networks that signal changes from the original material conditions. The study of bondingremains can therefore inform conservation strategies for cultural artifacts, support forensic casework by clarifying postmortem events, and contribute to the development of biodegradable polymers by revealing degradation pathways.

Because bondingremains often involve microscopic or nanoscopic features, interdisciplinary collaboration is essential. Teams may combine polymer chemistry, histology, electron microscopy, and computational modeling to generate a comprehensive picture. Advances in high‐resolution imaging have expanded the range of detectable bondingremains, allowing more precise temporal resolution of post‑mortem or post‑preservation processes. While the term has only recently entered common usage, its application across biological, archaeological, and engineering disciplines underscores its growing importance in reconstructing historical and biological narratives from the preserved residual evidence left behind by bonding processes.