Was First Winged Dinosaur Jet Black? The winged dinosaur Archaeopteryx, which may represent the missing link in birds’ evolution to powered flight, had at least some jet-black feathers, according to new research published today in Nature Communications. Aside from creating more of a cool visual for this raven-sized animal, the discovery suggests that Archaeopteryx could fly, since the color and parts of cells that would have supplied the black pigment are evidence that the wing feathers were rigid and durable. These are traits that probably would have permitted flight. keep reading

Was First Winged Dinosaur Jet Black?

The winged dinosaur Archaeopteryx, which may represent the missing link in birds’ evolution to powered flight, had at least some jet-black feathers, according to new research published today in Nature Communications.

Aside from creating more of a cool visual for this raven-sized animal, the discovery suggests that Archaeopteryx could fly, since the color and parts of cells that would have supplied the black pigment are evidence that the wing feathers were rigid and durable. These are traits that probably would have permitted flight.

keep reading

Source: news.discovery.com

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  1. ezek1 reblogged this from discoverynews
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  8. steeldragondown reblogged this from seerofnight and added:
    omg archaeopteryx was a dinosaur crow
  9. inexchangeforyoursoul reblogged this from seerofnight
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  12. gwenmcgregor reblogged this from rhamphotheca and added:
    pretty ancestor or a raven lived about 80 km south from me. *S*
  13. its-life-and-life-only reblogged this from gadgetry and added:
    That’s one bad-ass animal.
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  17. prawnmael reblogged this from sixtyforty and added:
    You know that pose that lots of dino fossils like this are in, with the head way back (see also barbies left in a box)?...
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