Casting burrows with molten aluminum can be a dangerous process. It begins with heating aluminum in a miniature gas-powered smelter to temperatures upward of 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, researchers pour the molten aluminum into the burrow and let it solidify and cool for about 20 minutes. They then use a hand trowel to dig out the cast, which is more robust than traditional plaster casts, and carefully document the site. The result is a sturdy block of metal displaying the burrow's intricate architecture. Back at the lab, Pinshow's team scans each cast to create a 3-D digital model. The scanner sweeps laser beams over the aluminum cast while cameras capture the laser beams' location to give a precise measurement of the cast. The 3-D model can then serve as a comparison for other burrows.
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