Amber: Preserving Insects Through Time

What is Amber?

Amber is fossilized tree resin that has been preserved over millions of years. It often contains inclusions such as insects, plant parts, or other organic material, providing valuable insights into past environments and species.

The process begins when sticky resin from a tree falls onto an insect, trapping it inside the viscous liquid.

Polymerization Process

Resin undergoes polymerization, a chemical reaction where monomers join to form polymers. This is modeled using the Arrhenius equation, which describes how temperature affects the rate of this process.

The Arrhenius equation states that the rate constant (k) for a chemical reaction increases exponentially with increasing temperature: k = A * exp(-Ea/RT), where A is the pre-exponential factor, Ea is the activation energy, R is the gas constant, and T is the absolute temperature.

Oxygen Flux and Preservation

The simulation models how oxygen flux affects the preservation of insects. Oxygen can cause decomposition if it penetrates the resin, but an unsealed pool allows for better protection.

Fick's law describes diffusion: J = -D * (dC/dx), where J is the flux density, D is the diffusion coefficient, and dC/dx is the concentration gradient.

Real-World Applications

Amber inclusions provide a snapshot of ancient ecosystems, helping scientists understand the evolution of species and their interactions.

The study of amber also aids in understanding past climates and environmental changes through the analysis of trapped organic material.

Frequently asked questions

Try it live

Everything above runs in your browser — open Amber: An Insect Frozen in Time and change the parameters while it is running. Nothing is installed, nothing is uploaded, the whole model lives in one tab.