Posted on 09/22/2006 6:27:23 AM PDT by Tokra
The earliest known ancestor of modern-day birds took to the skies by gliding from trees using primitive feathered wings on their arms and legs, according to new research by a University of Calgary paleontologist. In a paper published in the journal Paleobiology, Department of Biological Sciences PhD student Nick Longrich challenges the idea that birds began flying by taking off from the ground while running and shows that the dinosaur-like bird Archaeopteryx soared using wing-like feathers on all of its limbs.
"The discussions about the origins of avian flight have been dominated by the so-called 'ground up' and 'trees down' hypotheses," Longrich said. "This paper puts forward some of the strongest evidence yet that birds descended from arboreal parachuters and gliders, similar to modern flying squirrels."
The first fossil of the Jurassic-era dinosaur Archaeopteryx lithographica was discovered in Germany in 1861, two years after Charles Darwin published his theory of evolution in On The Origin of Species. Since then, eight additional specimens have been unearthed and Archaeopteryx is considered the best evidence that birds evolved from dinosaurs since it had both feathers and a bird-like wishbone, along with classic reptilian features of a long bony tail, claws and teeth.
Although scientists immediately noticed feather-like structures on the hind limbs, they were dismissed as insulating body feathers that didn't play a role in the animal's flight. It wasn't until several four-winged dinosaurs in China were described in 2002 that researchers began to re-examine Archaeopteryx's legs.
"The idea of a multi-winged Archaeopteryx has been around for more than a century, but it hasn't received much attention," Longrich said. "I believe one reason for this is that people tend to see what they want or expect to see. Everybody knows that birds don't have four wings, so we overlooked them even when they were right under our noses."
Under the supervision of professor Anthony Russell, Longrich examined Archaeopteryx fossils and determined that the dinosaur's leg feathers have an aerodynamic structure that imply its rear limbs likely acted as lift-generating "winglets" that played a significant role in flight.
Ping-worthy, or passe?
"neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do."
You see only what you look for; you recognize only what you know.
Well just damn, this will change the course of mighty human events.
Reminds me of an indian named "Screaming Eagle".
He attached feathers to his buckskin clothing on the arms and legs, then jumped from a high cliff just south of mustang bend.
He flew pretty good too.
Didn't land so well though.
There is no possible way for flying birds to have evolved, period. A flying bird needs a baker's dozen highly specialized systems including a light bone structure, flowthrough lungs, high-capacity heart, flight feathers, specialized balance parameters, tail, a beak, and every bit of that would be anti-conducive to survival until the day the whole thing came together. The chance of all that evolving is zero.
The dinosaur equivalent to a flying squirrel?
Why do I keep hearing "Somewhere over the Rainbow" in my head? Flying monkeys perhaps?
Blah Blah Blah
"...Cambrian explosion..."
"...no real fossil record..."
GODLESS, By Ann Coulter!
Do you mean Genesis with it's "endless genealogies"?
And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber: And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. And Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat Peleg:
Thanks--BOOKMARK---
Don't start with the Flying Monkeys! That was yesterday!.......
There's a reason for those geneologies being listed.........
"since it had both feathers and a bird-like wishbone, along with classic reptilian features of a long bony tail, claws and teeth."
So, I guess the scientists secretly built fake fossils with feathers, wishbone, claws and teeth just to trick everybody?
If you believe that I can steer you to a site that will supply you with a nice foil hat.
Learn to use spell check - it will avoid errors like that.
"Do you mean Genesis with it's "endless genealogies"?"
Not so. The genealogies are not endless, but end with "the last Adam", Jesus Christ the righteous. Get it?
"shhhh, tom, dont wake the evos, cretos, they get cranky when common sense is used...."
shhhh, tom, dont wake the evos, they get cranky when common sense is used....
....for common sense would tell anyone a cow can't have a pig and a fish can't have a dinosaur.
But some people think that felt gravity was less during the time the earth orbited Uranus. :)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.