Fossiilseteks

Fossiilseteks is an Estonian term associated with fossilization. In general usage, it denotes the state or process of becoming a fossil. In scientific literature, the concept corresponds to fossilization, the set of natural processes that preserve organic remains as fossils over geological time.

Fossilization occurs under conditions that protect remains from decay. Common pathways include permineralization, where minerals fill pore spaces in wood or bone; replacement, where original tissue is replaced molecule by molecule; carbonization, leaving a carbon outline; impressions and molds, casts; and entombment in substances such as amber, peat, tar, or sediment. Exceptional preservation can occur in anoxic waters, rapid burial, or dry or cold environments, producing more complete specimens.

Fossil records provide evidence of past life and environments, informing evolutionary biology and Earth history. Dating methods include radiometric dating (e.g., radiocarbon for younger specimens, other isotopes for older rocks), biostratigraphy, and magnetostratigraphy. Limitations include gaps in preservation, taphonomic bias, and uneven geographic sampling.

As a linguistic form, fossiilseteks appears as a form of the verb fossiiliseeruma in Estonian, used to describe the process of becoming fossils in scientific or descriptive texts.