Here is
the scene: 120,000,000 years ago a volcano erupted and a cloud of
searing hot gas and molten dust rumbled down the volcano and into a
nearby valley. In the path of this inferno was a peaceful lake
populated by fish, insects, plants and proto-birds. A natural
disaster, all of the animals and plants were instantly killed and
buried by volcanic ash, frozen in time. This type of volcanic
eruption is called an ignimbrite. Ignimbrites are what buried the
famous Roman city of Pompeii.
Along
came humans, and by a veritable miracle we dug into this ancient tomb
at a time in our history when we can appreciate its significance.
What scientists have discovered is a species of dinosaur with
feathers! The animal has been named Sinosauropteryx prima,
which
means first Chinese dragon feather. The fossils are incredibly
detailed, showing the particulars of the creature's feathers,
skeletons, beaks, claws and feathers. The fossils also show the
remains of a small mammal in the gullet of one of these creatures, as
well the remains of ovaries. This type of
preservation is very rare, and gives a detailed picture of what this
dinosaur-bird ate and of some of its soft tissue anatomy.
How does
this information help you and I? Well, by understanding the evolution
of life on earth we can learn more about ourselves. For
example, why is our
anatomy like it is and what types of evolutionary change are humans
undergoing? Will we someday sprout feathers?
Other
dinosaur-bird fossils have been found at Sihetun. One of them
is Caudipteryx (meaning tail feather), named after the wonderfully long
feathers found at the end of this creature's tail - undoubtedly used in
courtship ritual. Another is Protarchaeopteryx, which is a primitive
cousin of the famous fossil bird Archaeopteryx.
None of
these three feather-covered dinosaurs could fly. They were fast
runners, chasing down and gobbling up our ancestors – primitive
mammals.
The next time you see
a pigeon or a crow, look into its eyes and you will see the soul of
prehistoric avian life. That's the look Tyrannosaurus rex saw when
prehistoric birds picked over the King of Dinosaur's most recent
kill. Notice the beauty of the pigeon or crow's wing
structure. This same wing soared
over a landscape filled with herds of Triceratops, and now they soar
over YOU!
