Posted on 10/01/2010 5:05:40 AM PDT by ilovesarah2012
Penguins didn't always boast tuxedo-like black-and-white markings, according to a new study. The discovery of the first ancient penguin fossil with evidence of feathers reveals the aquatic birds were once reddish-brown and gray.
The 36 million-year-old fossil represents one of the largest ancient penguins ever found. The bird would have been 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall, and probably weighed twice as much as modern Emperor penguins, which average about 66 pounds (30 kilograms). Its long, grooved beak suggests that, like modern penguins, it hunted by diving for fish.
Imprints of feathers in the rock around the bones could help researchers understand how modern penguin feathers evolved, said Julia Clarke, a paleontologist at The University of Texas at Austin and a co-author of the paper.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Meet the Killer Penguins...
ping
Carbon dating can only be used on things that were alive, and have died. Once dead, the organism no longer takes up C14. The remaining C14 decays at a known rate. Since HT remains undead, you can’t use that technique yet.
Ancient Penguins Were Giant, Colorful Beasts
Bob “Battleship” Kelly, Bugsy Watson, Steve Durbano, Gary Rissling....they certainly were.
Couple that with a razor sharp beak that can bite a broom handle in half.
In an amazing coincidence, I once saw giant penguins flanking the stage at a Boomtown Rats concert. The acid had nothing to do with it...
"Doo bee doo bee doo."
.
The adults here are "only" about 4 feet tall.
Angel-Gal ping.
I love Opus.
Great graphic. Thx.
He does the QUIXOTIC look best.
Thx.
CUTE-UMS.
Ahhhh, penguins! Thanks so much for the ping-one!
I have often wondered how many billions of frozen penguins must be buried deep within Antarctic ice. Those in the lowest part of the ice cap ought to be mighty old. New source for oil?
a couple of other paleontology topics just waiting to be posted:
Ancient ‘cat-like’ crocodile had bite like a mammal
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10874312
Underwater T.Rex-Like Carnivores Built to Kill
http://news.discovery.com/dinosaurs/hypercarnivore-predators-dinosaurs.html
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Poe and Lovecraft were right. Tekeli-li! Tekeli-li!
Freegards
Is that not the coolest coloration pattern ever on those penguins? I don’t think a graphic designer could have done any better.
No, they didn't. It always helps to read the article.
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