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What Can Four-Winged Dinosaurs Teach Us About Birds?
The New York Times • • science
Key Points:
- Researchers have identified a new species of small, four-winged dinosaur from over 120 million years ago in China, featuring sharp claws and teeth, about the size of a crow.
- This discovery provides insight into how various groups of flying dinosaurs, alongside early birds, developed the ability to fly.
- Studies suggest that flight evolved independently at least three times among dinosaurs, indicating that aerial capabilities were more widespread than previously believed.
- The microraptorines, a group of small carnivorous dinosaurs with feathers on all limbs, are key examples of diverse flying styles in ancient dinosaurs, supported by numerous well-preserved fossils from China.
- Modern birds are the sole survivors of a diverse range of airborne dinosaurs that existed during the Mesozoic era, highlighting the rich evolutionary history of flight in dinosaurs.
