Virtual Fossils: a New Resource for Science Communication in
Paleontology Computer-aided 3-D reconstruction of fossils, or
virtual paleontology, is an increasingly common and powerful
technique. It is now regularly used for research in
paleontology, yet to date has impacted little on public outreach
and science communication; however, it is ideally suited for
these purposes, being increasingly cheap and available, dynamic
and exciting, and applicable to a range of topics. Here, we
provide an introduction to the field, and a case study of its
use for a public engagement event. The steps involved in
creating such an educational resource are outlined, and include
computed tomography scanning, digital visualization, and 3-D
printing of fossils. We emphasize the value of virtual fossils
for science communication; they allow for diverse learning
styles in a variety of topics. In the future, we hope that
virtual paleontology will become a mainstay of communicating the
history of life, thereby promoting accurate unde