"The missing links in evolution"
This page features the feathered dinosaurs and Revolutionary theories science that have been made with their discovery.
For years dinosaurs had previously been viewed as creatures with scaly skin, but recent discoveries have changed this perception. from the late 1900s, scientist have been finding a vast array of dinosaur fossils that revealed most of these animals were covered in feathers, rather than a scaly hide. This has ushered in a whole new era in our understanding of these astounding animals and clearly shows their ancestry with birds today. Various new fossil discoveries have shown that Feathered integument was probably more widespread than previously thought and most major groups of dinosaurs likely had some form of feathered integument(whether it be minimal and vice versa). larger dinosaurs such as Tyrannosaurus rex may have featured more primitive feathers, while smaller varieties boasted more developed feathers with some even sporting wing feathers. The perception of dinosaurs is surely something that is being dramatically revolutionized now, more than ever. Dinosaurs now seem more complex, gracile, and certainly more interesting with the discovery of feathers, giving them an entire new identity. In regards to the purpose of these feathers, the common function shared with most of them was their use in regulating body temperature. by doing so it enabled dinosaurs to more efficently thermoregulate themselves and even aided in their adaption to multiple environments, with some species living as far north as Alaska! Furthermore some dinosaurs such as Dromeasaurids likely used their wings to better maneuver themselves at high speeds when in pursuit of prey. As well much like birds today, some dinosaurs may have used their feathers for display in order to attract females or intimidate rivals. With these new revelations also come the proposal of possible speculative behaviors, such as courtship or elaborate display features. However the dinosaurs themselves are not gone and are very much alive today. the countless birds of our modern era are dinosaurs themselves, so much so that birds are biologically classified in the same clade as dinosaurs. Dinosaurs still roam around us and their presence can help scientist better understand their Mesozoic ancestors. Every day new discoveries are constantly being made that will continue to allow further insight in to our understanding and give us a more clear picture of how these animals truly looked and possibly even behaved.
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