Flying dinosaur fossil with intact feathers reveals how first birds took flight
Scans of the most well-preserved fossil of a prehistoric flying reptile with intact feathers have revealed how the first birds managed to fly while their non-bird dinosaur cousins could not.
The Archaeopteryx, which lived over 150 million years ago during the Jurassic Period, is the oldest known fossil bird and it shows that all birds, including modern ones, evolved from dinosaurs.
While the prehistoric beast's first fossil was uncovered over 160 years ago, exactly how it took to the skies while its reptile cousins could not was unknown.
To unravel this mystery, scientists conducted x-ray and UV light scans of the Archaeopteryx at Field Museum's Chicago, an ultra-rare fossil with more intact soft tissues and skeletal details than ever seen before.
They concluded that its well-preserved feathers helped explain why the archaeopteryx could fly when many of its non-bird dinosaur cousins could not.
The specimen, discovered by a private fossil collector sometime in the last century, arrived at the Field Museum in August 2022.
'Our specimen is so well-preserved and so well-prepared that we are actually learning a tonne of new information, from the tip of its snout to the tip of its tail,' said Jingmai O'Connor, the Chicago museum's associate curator of fossil reptiles who led the latest study.
The specimen is the smallest of the species known – only about the size of a pigeon – and is preserved in a slab of extremely hard limestone.
"When we prepared it, we carefully chipped away the bits of rock covering the fossil,' Dr O'Connor said.
After preparing the fossil, which took about a year of careful work, researchers used CT scans to build a three-dimensional image of its insides.
"CT scanning was very important for our preparation process, it let us know things like the bone is exactly 3.2 millimeters below the surface of the rock, which let us know exactly how far we could go before we would hit the bone,' Dr O'Connor explained. 'This is the first time a complete Archaeopteryx has been CT scanned and the data made available.'
Researchers then used UV light to illuminate pieces of the fossil's skeleton and its soft tissues like scales on the bottom of the toes.
They particularly probed the head, hands, feet, and wing feathers. "The bones in the roof of the mouth help us learn about the evolution of something called cranial kinesis – a feature in modern birds that lets the beak move independently from the braincase,' Dr O'Connor said.
Studying this feature could provide new insights into how birds underwent skull adaptations for different ecological niches and evolve into the over 11,000 species we see today, scientists suspected.
Analysis of the hands and feet of the Chicago specimen revealed that the Archaeopteryx spent much of its time walking on the ground and, possibly, climbing trees.
An examination of its wing feathers helped resolve a longstanding scientific debate about the origin of flight in dinosaurs.
'Archaeopteryx isn't the first dinosaur to have feathers or the first dinosaur to have 'wings'. But we think it is the earliest known dinosaur that was able to use its feathers to fly," Dr O'Connor said. "This is my favourite part of the paper, the part that provides evidence that Archaeopteryx was using its feathered wings for flying.'
Key to the first bird's flight was likely a set of never-before-seen feathers, called tertials, found on the upper arm of the fossil.
"Compared to most living birds, Archaeopteryx has a very long upper arm bone," Dr O'Connor said.
"And if you're trying to fly, having a long upper arm bone can create a gap between the long primary and secondary feathers of the wing and the rest of your body. If air passes through that gap, that disrupts the lift you're generating, and you can't fly.'
In modern birds, the palaeontologist said, shorter upper arm bones and a set of tertial feathers fill the gap between the body and the rest of the wing.
In the case of Archaeopteryx, however, the tertial feathers alone plugged the gap.
"These feathers are missing in feathered dinosaurs that are closely related to birds but aren't quite birds,' Dr O'Connor said. 'Their wing feathers stop at the elbow.'
Researchers said they hoped to gain further understanding of how the first birds were able to fly by continuing their study of the fossil.
'This paper is really just the tip of the iceberg,' they said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
How high is your risk of dementia? It may depend on where you live
How high is your risk of dementia? It might depend on where you live, according to a new study of U.S. veterans. A team at U.C. San Francisco said Monday that it had identified the regions where the chronic brain disorder occurs most often. Using the Mid-Atlantic region as the baseline for comparison, where dementia incidence rates were the lowest, they found that dementia was 25 percent higher in the Southeast. That included Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi. Whereas, the Northwest and Rocky Mountain regions were both 23 percent higher. Other regions included in the study – one of the largest and most comprehensive of its kind – were the South and Southwest, which were 18 and 13 percent higher, respectively. California was included in the Southwest. The Northeast incidence rates were still higher than the Mid-Atlantic, but just by 7 percent. 'The study underscores the need to understand regional differences in dementia and the importance of region-specific prevention and intervention efforts,' UCSF Director of the Center for Population Brain Health Dr. Kristine Yaffe said in a statement. Yaffe was the senior author of the study, which was published in the journal JAMA Neurology. The study included the health records from more than 1.2 million veterans, noting that veterans have a higher prevalence of risk factors such as traumatic brain injuries, depression, and post-traumatic stress. The researchers found that the differences remained when they accounted for certain factors, including age, race, and cardiovascular disease. They noted that access to medical care may be more difficult in rural areas, compared with urban areas. Previous research has found higher rates of dementia in rural communities. Recently, other UCSF researchers found that proteins in spinal fluid may be the key to understanding why middle-aged people develop dementia. The onset of dementia is known to be tied to depression, but different types have their own causes. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form, impacting some 6.7 million Americans. Cases are estimated to double by the year 2060. There is currently no cure. The next step for these researchers is to investigate what the factors driving these differences are. They said they hoped that, by identifying areas with the highest incidence rates, resources can be better allocated and targeted interventions designed to mitigate the impact of dementia on vulnerable populations. 'Quality of education, early life conditions, and environmental exposures may be among those factors,' said first author Dr. Christina Dintica.
The Guardian
3 hours ago
- The Guardian
Cutting-edge AI models ‘collapse' in face of complex problems, Apple study finds
Apple researchers have found 'fundamental limitations' in cutting-edge artificial intelligence models, in a paper raising doubts about the technology industry's race to develop ever more powerful systems. Apple claimed in a paper published at the weekend that large reasoning models (LRMs) – an advanced form of AI – faced a 'complete accuracy collapse' when presented with highly complex problems. It found that standard AI models outperformed LRMs in low-complexity tasks, while both types of model suffered 'complete collapse' with high-complexity tasks. Large reasoning models attempt to solve complex queries by generating detailed thinking processes that break down the problem into smaller steps. The study, which tested the models' ability to solve puzzles, added that as LRMs neared performance collapse they began 'reducing their reasoning effort'. The Apple researchers said they found this 'particularly concerning'. Gary Marcus, a US academic who has become a prominent voice of caution on the capabilities of AI models, described the Apple paper as 'pretty devastating'. Marcus added that the findings raised questions about the race to artificial general intelligence (AGI), a theoretical stage of AI at which a system is able to match a human at carrying out any intellectual task. Referring to the large language models [LLMs] that underpin tools such as ChatGPT, Marcus wrote: 'Anybody who thinks LLMs are a direct route to the sort [of] AGI that could fundamentally transform society for the good is kidding themselves.' The paper also found that reasoning models wasted computing power by finding the right solution for simpler problems early in their 'thinking'. However, as problems became slightly more complex, models first explored incorrect solutions and arrived at the correct ones later. For higher-complexity problems, however, the models would enter 'collapse', failing to generate any correct solutions. In one case, even when provided with an algorithm that would solve the problem, the models failed. The paper said: 'Upon approaching a critical threshold – which closely corresponds to their accuracy collapse point – models counterintuitively begin to reduce their reasoning effort despite increasing problem difficulty.' The Apple experts said this indicated a 'fundamental scaling limitation in the thinking capabilities of current reasoning models'. The paper set the LRMs puzzle challenges, such as solving the Tower of Hanoi and River Crossing puzzles. The researchers acknowledged that the focus on puzzles represented a limitation in its work. Sign up to TechScape A weekly dive in to how technology is shaping our lives after newsletter promotion The paper concluded that the current approach to AI may have reached limitations. It tested models including OpenAI's o3, Google's Gemini Thinking, Anthropic's Claude 3.7 Sonnet-Thinking and DeepSeek-R1. Anthropic, Google and DeepSeek have been contacted for comment. OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, declined to comment. Referring to 'generalizable reasoning' – or an AI model's ability to apply a narrow conclusion more broadly – the paper said: 'These insights challenge prevailing assumptions about LRM capabilities and suggest that current approaches may be encountering fundamental barriers to generalizable reasoning.' Andrew Rogoyski, of the Institute for People-Centred AI at the University of Surrey, said the Apple paper signalled the industry was 'still feeling its way' on AGI and that the industry could have reached a 'cul de sac' in its current approach. 'The finding that large reason models lose the plot on complex problems, while performing well on medium- and low-complexity problems implies that we're in a potential cul-de-sac in current approaches,' he said.
Medical News Today
3 hours ago
- Medical News Today
Dementia: Switching to MIND diet even later in life can lower risk
MIND diet lowers dementia risk, even if you start it later in life, a new study has found. Image credit: istetiana/Getty Images. As of 2021, about 57 million people around the world were living with dementia, with 60–70% of those cases being Alzheimer's disease. In 2015, researchers at Rush University Medical Center developed the MIND diet. Since then, multiple studies have linked this eating pattern to a reduced risk of dementia. A new study says that following the MIND diet may help lower a person's risk for developing dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, even if they don't start following the diet until later in life. These benefits were especially seen in participants who identified as African-American, Latino, or white. Past studies have shown that certain lifestyle changes — such as following a healthy diet — may help lower a person's risk for developing dementia. With its emphasis on brain-healthy foods, past studies have suggested that following the MIND diet may decrease a person's risk for cognitive impairment, more generally, and dementia and mortality , more specifically. Now, a new study presented at NUTRITION 2025, the flagship annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, reports that following the MIND diet may help lower a person's risk for developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease, even if they don't start following the diet until later in life. These benefits were especially seen in participants who identified asAfrican American, Latino, or white. The study is yet to undergo peer review and appear in a specialised journal. For this study, researchers analyzed dietary data from almost 93,000 U.S. adults between the ages of 45 to 75, who participated in the Multiethnic Cohort Study, which began in the 1990s. Participants were from five racial and ethnic groups — African American, Latino, white, Native Hawaiian, and Asian American. Scientists scored each participant's adherence to MIND diet principles based on a food frequency questionnaire provided at the start of the study and again 10 years later. 'The MIND diet includes 10 brain-healthy and 5 brain-unhealthy food groups,' Song-Yi Park, PhD, associate professor of the Population Sciences in the Pacific Program at the University of Hawaii Cancer Center and lead author of this study told Medical News Today . 'We calculated the MIND diet score using Morris' methods in the Multiethnic Cohort Study. We examined several healthy dietary patterns and found more consistent results with the MIND diet compared to other dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean, DASH, and Healthy Eating Index.' At the study's conclusion, Park and her team found that study participants with the highest MIND diet scores at the start of the study had a 9% lower risk of developing dementia. That reduced risk rate jumped to 13% for participants identifying as white, Latino, or African American. 'Previous studies were mostly conducted in White populations,' Park explained. 'Our study confirms the protective association in a more diverse population. We have no clear explanation for the observed racial/ethnic heterogeneity. Differences in dietary patterns and preferences could play a role. Also, the MIND diet may not fully capture the benefits of ethnic diets.' Scientists also discovered that study participants who improved their adherence to the MIND diet over 10 years — including those who at first did not closely follow this dietary pattern — decreased their dementia risk by 25%, compared to those whose MIND diet compliance declined. 'Our study findings confirm that healthy dietary patterns in mid to late life and their improvement over time may prevent Alzheimer's and related dementias,' Park said in a press release. 'This suggests that it is never too late to adopt a healthy diet to prevent dementia.' Since the burden of dementia is increasing and the pharmacological treatments are still very limited, Park said reducing modifiable risk factors to prevent the disease is a public health priority. 'Improving diet quality at older ages is still beneficial for preventing dementia,' she continued. 'We plan to explore individual dietary components that can better capture ethnically tailored healthy dietary patterns and optimal intake levels.' MNT had the opportunity to speak with Clifford Segil, DO, a neurologist in private practice in Santa Monica, CA, and on staff at Providence St. John's Health Center, about this study. 'I wish I agreed that leafy green vegetables, berries, nuts, and olive oil were proven brain healthy foods as these are definitely healthy for your heart, but less clearly for your brain,' Segil, who was not involved in the research, commented. He explained that eating healthy throughout your life can help reduce your risk of diabetes, hyperlipidemia, obesity, and first-time heart attacks and strokes. But, he suggested, 'it is less clear if healthy eating can protect elderly patients from getting dementia.' 'Modifiable risk factors medicine allow physicians to give advice to patients to prevent disease and avoid medications,' Segil continued. 'We have no clearly proven modifiable risk factors in life to prevent the onset of memory loss as we age or dementia at this time. 'I would like to see that the proposed MIND diet had any significant impact on a patient's blood pressure, blood glucose, or serum lipid profile,' Segil added. 'I would like to see if the MIND diet causes changes to routine lab tests physicians follow in their annual physical exams on patients.' Monique Richard, MS, RDN, LDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Nutrition-In-Sight, offered MNT her top tips for those who may want to try the MIND diet. 'Before implementing, be sure to meet with a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) to understand further how these dietary patterns may, or may not, be beneficial to your needs, goals, preferences, ability to access, culinary literacy and cultural heritage,' Richard advised. She said that individuals could consider adding these MIND diet components fairly easily to their current diet, depending on access, for nutrient dense choices bursting with flavor, texture and versatility: berries, such as strawberries, wild blueberries, raspberries, cherries, blackberries, elderberries leafy greens, including kale, spinach, turnip greens, collard greens, romaine lettuce, microgreens, mustard greens, arugula — these can be added to smoothies, sautéed dishes, stir-fry, soups, or eaten raw with each meal, aiming for 6 to 9 servings in a week nuts and seeds like pistachios, pecans, walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seed kernels, chia seeds, flaxseeds — added to snacks, muffins, oatmeal, sandwiches, or salads Beans, such as kidney, lima, black beans, navy bean, garbanzo beans, or even lentils, legumes (like peanuts), and soybeans (edamame, fermented tofu) — aim for 4 to 6 meals per week that include beans non-starchy vegetables, such as onions, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, beets, and carrots — eaten more often in addition to leafy greens whole grains like oats, whole rye, rice, buckwheat, farro, sorghum — incorporated into meals, at least 3 servings of these a day cold water fatty fish — 4–6 ounces per serving, two to three times a week olive oil — ideally high-quality, extra-virgin, cold-pressed olive oil in cooked dishes. Richard suggested: 'Be mindful — consider asking yourself what […] your meals look like on a daily basis in comparison to these recommended components. Do you know how to shop for, prepare, or consume these foods? Are you able to access a variety of these foods? What other tools may be helpful for you to incorporate these into your life?' 'Feed your mind — following dietary patterns such as the MIND diet are only part of the equation,' she also advised. Alzheimer's / Dementia Neurology / Neuroscience Nutrition / Diet
