Jackson School Adds CT Scans to Free Anatomy Archive

December 8, 2024

For decades, the University of Texas High-Resolution X-ray Computed Tomography Facility (UTCT) at the Jackson School of Geosciences has been helping scientists study specimens from the inside out — creating digital replicas of specimens ranging from Komodo dragons to the bones of “Lucy,” the famous early human ancestor.

Now, thousands of UTCT scans are available for anyone to explore thanks to the openVertebrate (oVert) project. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the oVert project is a free online archive of 3D reconstructions of vertebrate specimens from 18 research institutions. The UTCT contributed about 3,000 scans — including fossils — collected over 26 years from nearly 100 UTCT clients. These clients include more than 60 museums and universities that have agreed to have their data uploaded as part of the effort.

In addition to creating an open archive, the project is also helping the next generation of scientists learn CT skills. As part of the oVert effort, UTCT facility manager and Research Scientist Associate Jessica Maisano has trained six undergraduate students in the lab and organized short courses that taught researchers the best practices for CT data acquisition, visualization and analysis. More information: www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/overt/