Scientists have uncovered hidden fossil insects inside pieces of amber that once belonged to the famed German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Using advanced imaging technology, researchers were able to reveal creatures that had remained trapped inside the fossilized tree resin for tens of millions of years.
Goethe's amber collection, now housed at the Goethe National Museum and managed by the Klassik Stiftung Weimar, contains 40 pieces of Baltic amber. Two of those specimens turned out to contain fossilized animals that were nearly impossible to see with the naked eye because the amber pieces were never polished.
To investigate further, researchers from the University of Jena turned to modern scanning techniques. At the German Electron Synchrotron (DESY) in Hamburg, they used synchrotron micro computed tomography to create detailed three dimensional images of the fossils. The scans revealed three insects: a fungus gnat, a black fly, and an ancient ant.
Ancient Ant Reveals New Details
Among the discoveries, the ant attracted the most attention.
