Book review: Beneath the Stone: CT Imaging Applied to Fossils, by Jean-Claude Le Van An
Jon Trevelyan (UK)
“Never judge a fossil by its surface.” Although not stated quite so succinctly, this is the central message running through Beneath the Stone. Jean-Claude Le Van An demonstrates that a fossil’s outward appearance often tells only part of the story. Hidden beneath the surrounding rock may be exquisite anatomical detail, evidence of ancient life never visible to the naked eye – or, occasionally – proof that an apparently spectacular specimen is not what it seems.
Before you open Beneath the Stone, you would be forgiven for expecting another nicely illustrated fossil book. In reality, it is something rather different. Rather than simply showcasing interesting and often remarkable fossils, it demonstrates how the techniques of modern medical imaging are increasingly being applied to palaeontology, allowing scientists to investigate fossils non-destructively and reveal information that would otherwise remain hidden. In doing so, the author reveals that CT scanning is far more than an imaging technique: it has become an indispensable scientific tool for revealing hidden anatomy, confirming authenticity, exposing sophisticated forgeries and, ultimately, uncovering the truth concealed within stone.
The book is physically substantial, but it is not a lengthy or text-heavy work. Large-format pages, generous typography and an abundance of full-page illustrations mean that it can be read surprisingly quickly. Indeed, the illustrations dominate the book, with the accompanying text providing just enough explanation to guide the reader through the remarkable discoveries that CT scanning has made possible.
The quality of the illustrations is consistently excellent. The CT reconstructions themselves are naturally the principal attraction, revealing internal anatomy, hidden structures and fossils that could never be studied without destructive preparation. However, the book is far more than a collection of scans. Throughout, the author includes colour photographs of the specimens, attractive palaeoenvironmental reconstructions and short vignettes that place each fossil in its original setting. These brief glimpses of the ancient worlds in which the organisms lived provide valuable context and ensure that the reader never loses sight of the fossils themselves, while admiring the technology used to investigate them.
Rather than being organised around particular imaging techniques, the chapters are structured by fossil groups and localities. Many of the specimens come from China, reflecting both the extraordinary richness of its fossil deposits and the important role Chinese discoveries have played in advancing CT-based palaeontology. Dinosaur eggs (including extinct birds) feature prominently and provide some of the book’s most fascinating examples of how internal structures can be investigated without damaging these exceptionally valuable specimens. Other chapters range across a diverse selection of fossil organisms, each demonstrating a different aspect of what lies hidden beneath the rock.
Although the images immediately catch the eye, the book’s greatest strength lies in its central message. As the author explains so effectively in the concluding chapter, fossils should never be judged solely by their external appearance. CT scanning becomes far more than an imaging technique – it is a means to uncover the truth concealed within stone.
This theme runs throughout the book. CT reveals hidden anatomical detail, confirms the authenticity of extraordinary specimens, exposes sophisticated forgeries and identifies composite fossils assembled from unrelated parts. Particularly fascinating are the examples in which imaging detects carved bones, resin, plaster or reconstructed elements that are invisible externally. Equally intriguing, however, are the opposite cases, where spectacular fossils, initially dismissed as fake, are shown to be entirely genuine once their internal structure has been examined. The message is refreshingly balanced: appearances can deceive in either direction.
For fossil collectors, this aspect of the book is likely to be especially appealing. The discussion of forged and reconstructed fossils demonstrates how CT analysis can distinguish genuine specimens from skilfully manufactured composites, while also helping to determine geological provenance, by examining the surrounding matrix. The author shows convincingly that CT has become not simply a tool for visualisation, but an indispensable aid to scientific investigation and authentication.
Some readers may find the discussion of radiological principles and terminology more technical than expected. Concepts such as density analysis, spectral CT and histogram analysis inevitably require a degree of specialist vocabulary. However, these passages are necessary and are greatly outweighed by the book’s highly visual presentation. The emphasis remains firmly on the fossils and the remarkable insights that imaging provides, rather than on the underlying technology itself.
Perhaps the greatest compliment that can be paid to Beneath the Stone is that it succeeds in making readers look at fossils differently. By the end of the book, one begins to realise that every specimen has an unseen interior with its own story to tell. What appears perfectly ordinary on the surface may conceal exceptional preservation, while an apparently spectacular fossil may prove to be something quite different once examined beneath the stone.
This is a beautifully produced, original and thought-provoking book. It will appeal particularly to serious fossil collectors, museum workers, palaeontologists and anyone interested in the application of modern technology to the study of ancient life. Above all, it reminds us that the surface of a fossil is only the beginning of its story – and that sometimes the most important discoveries are those that remain hidden until we learn how to look beneath the stone.
About the author
Jean-Claude Le Van An brings an unusual perspective to the subject. A radiologist by profession, he has devoted his work to exploring the interface between medical imaging and palaeontology. By applying CT scanning as a non-destructive investigative tool, he examines fossil anatomy, authenticity and restoration through their hidden internal structure. This combination of radiological expertise and palaeontological curiosity underpins the entire book and gives it an authority that few authors could match.
Beneath the Stone: CT Imaging Applied to Fossils, by Jean-Claude Le Van Am, Capsud Editions (France), (June 2026), hardback (244 pages), ISBN: 979-10-98549-70-0