Soaring Above the Past: Fresh Insights into Archaeopteryx's Flight Capabilities
Fresh findings indicate that Archaeopteryx, the ancient feathered dinosaur, might have possessed the ability to fly.
Debate has swirled for ages about whether the seemingly first bird, Archaeopteryx, could fly. Now, fresh evidence is emerging—a research team from the USA has provided additional proof: It all boils down to unique feathers essential for a successful takeoff.
The ancient bird Archaeopteryx, our earliest known bird, lived approximately 150 million years ago. All 14 known specimens were unearthed in the vicinity of the Bavarian Solnhofen in the Franconian Alb. An examination of the smallest and best-preserved Archaeopteryx in the journal "Nature" recently offered some intriguing revelations.
This specimen, in private hands for decades, was purchased, prepared, and analyzed by the Field Museum in Chicago in 2022, with the exception of a solitary finger. Lead author Jingmai O'Connor shares, "Our specimen is so well-preserved and so well-prepared that we are getting tons of new information, from the tip of the beak to the end of the tail."
Expired Ant Discovered: Oldest Fossil from Brazil uncovers secrets of ancient ant colonies The bird, roughly the size of a pigeon, was meticulously scanned using micro-computed tomography with UV light to make soft tissue visible. The examination revealed Archaeopteryx was outfitted with more than just hand, arm, and shoulder feathers—as previously known. It also had tertiary feathers, similar to the flight feathers of modern birds. These feathers radiate from both elbows and lie against the animal's body during flight.
Humerus Length
"In comparison to most living birds, Archaeopteryx had a long humerus," explains O'Connor. " And if you want to fly, this can create a gap between the long primary and secondary feathers of the wing and the rest of the body. If air flows through this gap, it disrupts the lift and prevents flight."
Couplet Basking Owl Discovered: Cryptic predator of the skies This gap is bridged by birds with flight feathers. In the Archaeopteryx presented here, one can see such feathers for the first time, a feature that has been controversial. "These feathers are absent in feathered dinosaurs, which are closely related to birds, but are not birds themselves," concludes O'Connor. "Their wing feathers end at the elbow." Unlike these dinosaurs, the Archaeopteryx could actually fly.
Signal or Swoop?
These feathers may have served additional functions, the team suspects - as they occupy a great deal more surface area compared to modern birds' feathers. Perhaps, the researchers speculate, these feathers also played a role in visual communication within the animals.
Although the primitive bird boasted distinct wings, analyses of the animal's extremities show foot pads. This suggests the primitive bird didn't just dwell in the air—it also spent time on the ground and may have even climbed trees, like today's pigeons, indicating a "mixed terrestrial and tree-associated habitat for this early flying bird."
Footnotes: The little finger on the animal's hand appeared to be mobile. And the tail was longer than expected: Only 22 tail vertebrae of the Archaeopteryx were known previously. In the animal now presented, there are 24.
Source: ntv.de, Walter Willems, dpa
- Fossils
- Paleontology
- Birds
- Dinosaurs
- Evolution
Additional Insights:
The key to Archaeopteryx's potential flight lies primarily in its wing structure and the presence of asymmetrical flight feathers, similar to modern birds. These crucial flight features, combined with its bone structure akin to today's birds, support the theory that Archaeopteryx might be able to engage in some form of flight or gliding, although the precise extent of its flying skills is still a matter of debate.
illustrations: see Section 3 of the enrichment data for artist's depictions of Archaeopteryx's flight feathers.
- The discovery of tertiary feathers on Archaeopteryx, as suggested by the study, could suggest that the community policy regarding the capabilities of Archaeopteryx might need to be revised, especially in relation to its flight abilities.
- As the research delves deeper into the flight capabilities of Archaeopteryx, it also opens discussions about the evolutionary connections between Archaeopteryx and modern birds, shedding light on the intersection of science, technology, and medical-conditions in understanding the development of flight in various species.
