Computer CGI brings fossil amber insects back to life

We are all familiar with CGI images of dinosaurs on our TV screens, but few may be aware that the same technology has been used to bring fossil insects 'back to life' as well! New research just published in the journal Arthropod Structure & Development (click here) revisits the fossilized larva of a green lacewing Hallucinochrysa diogenesi preserved in Cretaceous amber from Spain, originally described in 2012. The new article expands on the presumed behaviour of this species and includes a CGI video reconstruction of the larva in action. The video can be viewed by clicking here.

This remarkable fossil is discussed in our recent book: Fossil Insects - An introduction to palaeoentomology and the Spanish amber deposit (along with various others) is covered in our edited volume Biodiversity of Fossils in Amber from the Major World Deposits, with each chapter written by a leading expert.

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