Fossils and FEA

This article explores the application of finite element analysis (FEA) in studying the evolution of animals, including dinosaurs. Scientists have applied the method to determine how dinosaurs originally looked and functioned, and how they and other animals changed and evolved through the years. FEA is a useful tool to reconstruct the mechanical behavior of the muscle and skeletal system in zoological and paleontological studies because it is non-invasive and reconstructs stress at multiple sites and depths throughout the skeleton. It can be used to study extinct animals by way of their fossilized remains and can deal with complex geometries and load conditions. FEA is now routinely used to interpret skeletal forms for function in both medical and biological applications. The scientists believe that FEA will hopefully allow to see the effect of eating hard foods, such as the belemnites with their bullet-shaped guards. FEA allows a far more intricate, accurate, and precise picture of the bone to be used in studies.