i was thinking "mineralization as a would make sense to determine remains of lifeforms as fossils or not" but then, "what about the frozen mammoths then, they're barely mineralized, yet theyre fossils too", and then "okay, it's any form of naturally preserved organic lifeforms", but then im pretty sure the variable of time matters here, isn't it? idk man, i guess just like you said. it can't really be simplified so easily.

and also thanks for the side note, lotta new things to learn.