Understanding Petrifaction: The Process of Turning into Stone

Petrifying means to turn into stone or to become rigid and immobile, often used to describe a process of fossilization.

In geology, petrifaction refers to the process by which organic matter, such as plant or animal tissue, is replaced by minerals, resulting in the formation of a fossil. This can occur through a variety of mechanisms, including permineralization, where minerals precipitate out of solution and fill the spaces once occupied by organic material, or replacement, where the original organic material is gradually replaced by minerals over time.

In a more general sense, petrifying can also be used to describe a state of being frozen or immobilized, as in "the company's plans were petrified by bureaucratic red tape."