Scylla Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/07/27/7179711-oldest-bird-knocked-off-its-perch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nandomas Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 (edited) Breaking News? http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110727/full/news.2011.443.html Sigh, sigh I love Archaeopteryx Edited July 27, 2011 by Nandomas Erosion... will be my epitaph! http://www.paleonature.org/ https://fossilnews.org/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Archaeopteryx, while long an icon as the "first bird", only had a couple of the many features that define what is a bird. Not enough of them, in my opinion, to call it one, or to even call it a direct progenitor. The name means "ancient wing", and in this much it is accurate, but it was a side branch that did not lead to later "full" birds. I am glad that this is being more widely recognized. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marnixR Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 (edited) is this really all that surprising or even significant ? what is the chance that the first fossil you find which appears to link dinosaurs with birds is really going to be on the direct lineage ? also, take into account the range of dinosaur-like birds and bird-like dinosaurs that have been found in the last few decennia, and it becomes clear that there's a wide spectrum of inbetween creatures - one of which is archaeopteryx so no, not surprising that we've finally found a fossil that fits the bill of "oldest bird ancestor" better than archaeopteryx - the only surprise is that it took so long Edited July 29, 2011 by marnixR I don't have to know an answer. I don't feel frightened by not knowing things; by being lost in a mysterious universe without any purpose — which is the way it really is, as far as I can tell, possibly. It doesn't frighten me. ~ Richard Feynman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now