In the final weeks before Elettra’s upcoming long shutdown for a major upgrade, I had the opportunity to explore yet another fascinating beamline: XRD1, expertly run by Maurizio Polentarutti and Giorgio Bias.
XRD1 is dedicated to X-ray diffraction (XRD)—a powerful technique used to investigate the crystalline structure of materials. By analyzing how X-rays are diffracted by the atomic planes within a sample, XRD reveals information about phase composition, crystallinity, and even subtle structural transformations. It’s an essential tool in materials science and geology, and increasingly valuable in heritage science and palaeontology.
As part of my non-academic placement with ZOIC, I’m conducting a multi-modal characterisation study of ancient Triceratops tendon fossils, integrating techniques such as XRF, SR-µCT, and now XRD. The aim is to better understand the preservation and microstructure of these exceptional specimens—capturing chemical, structural, and morphological data to reconstruct how they’ve changed over millions of years. These XRD measurements are still ongoing, and I’ll be the first to admit: I still have a lot to learn when it comes to analyzing and interpreting diffraction data. But that’s exactly the point. One of the major strengths of my Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) fellowship is the opportunity to train in new techniques and explore new frontiers—building a versatile skillset as a paleohistologist working at the interface of biology, geology, and physics. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to learn about this technique and carry out imaging at the XRD1 beamline under the guidance of Maurizio and Giorgio. I’m looking forward to deepening my understanding of XRD as we begin analyzing the data—and to discovering what Paleo samples might reveal through this new lens.