A Fossil Feather From the Age of Dinosaurs May Explain Why only some Birds Survived
Researchers say the feather’s mix of diving traits and poor insulation may help explain why some bird lineages survived the mass extinction.
- In 2016, Burke Museum lab manager David DeMar discovered a fossilized feather preserved inside a dinosaur coprolite in Montana's Hell Creek Formation, marking a rare find after 150 years of searching.
- When an asteroid struck Earth 66 million years ago, it triggered mass extinction that killed most dinosaurs and early bird lineages, though one group—the ancestors of modern birds—survived the catastrophe.
- Field Museum associate curator Jingmai O'Connor identified the feather as belonging to a hesperornithiform, an aquatic, flightless bird that possessed modern-looking, waterproof feathers alongside primitive, fuzzy down typical of dinosaurs.
- O'Connor suggests advanced plumage gave Neornithes the insulation needed to survive the post-impact winter, while hesperornithiforms' primitive feathers provided insufficient protection, contributing to their extinction alongside non-surviving dinosaur groups.
- Researchers now view coprolites as an untapped window for studying fossilized soft tissues, potentially revealing fur and skin structures that skeletal remains alone cannot preserve, reshaping how paleontologists understand evolutionary history.
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19 Articles
Exceptionally Preserved Bird Feathers Found in 66-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Coprolite
Paleontologists in Montana have discovered remarkably preserved feathers of an ancient aquatic bird inside a fossilized dinosaur dropping, offering rare insight into why certain birds survived the asteroid strike that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. The post Exceptionally Preserved Bird Feathers Found in 66-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Coprolite appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
Fossil Feathers Hidden in Dinosaur Poop May Explain Why Some Birds Survived Mass Extinction 66 Million Years Ago
Learn how feathers in dinosaur poop from the Hell Creek Formation could help explain why some birds survived the mass extinction while others died out.
The Most Perfectly Preserved Feather From The Age Of Dinosaurs Has Been Discovered Inside Fossilized Tyrannosaur Poop Dating Back 66 Million Years
Coprolites could be an overlooked source for discovering delicate structures that don’t typically preserve in fossil sites like the Hell Creek Formation.
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Lee Joo-young = How did birds survive when dinosaurs went extinct due to an asteroid impact 66 million years ago? A dinosaur poop fossil (coprol...
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