Scientists Discover Ancient Pattern Hidden in Bird Feathers
Washington, 25 Feb (ONA) -- -Scientists have uncovered a hidden pattern within the feathers of birds, shedding light on flight of dinosaurs.
Analyzing hundreds of bird specimens from global museum collections, researchers discovered a consistent set of feather rules crucial for flight.
Ornithologist Yosef Kiat found that all flying birds possess 9 to 11 asymmetrical flight feathers, while flightless birds exhibit varying numbers.
This revelation challenges previous assumptions.
By examining fossils up to 160 million years old, researchers identified ancestral species with flight-capable feathers.
Among them are Archeopteryx and Microraptors, indicating that flight was not exclusive to birds.
However, species like Caudipteryx, though possessing flight-feasible feathers, likely lost the ability to fly over time.
The study, published in PNAS, contradicts prior theories based solely on skeletal data.
---Ends/Thuraiya/AG