Paleohilos de Colombia Andina: Una representación artística de la paleontología colombiana

Abstract

Colombia's paleontological heritage is a valuable part of the country's natural history, although it is little known to the general public. Given this disconnect, an outreach strategy was designed based on an art gallery with twelve string art pieces representing emblematic fossil species from the Andean region, such as Padillasaurus leivaensis, Trilobites, and Eremotherium laurillardi. The images were generated using an algorithm developed in Python which, based on a mathematical model of grayscale and visual error minimization, translates fossil silhouettes into geometric thread compositions. Each work was accompanied by an illustrative infographic and organized chronologically, with colored borders according to the geological era represented, following the international chronostratigraphic table. The gallery was located in a public space and was open to all types of visitors, who shared their impressions via a form. The results show that art can arouse emotions such as curiosity, admiration, and nostalgia, facilitating the understanding of scientific topics. Most respondents considered that this type of experience can be useful in educational and outreach contexts, confirming the potential of art as a bridge between science and society.