Ancient bird skull found in Antarctica could be oldest known modern bird
A recent study found a nearly complete skull in Antarctica that may belong to an ancient ancestor of ducks and geese called Vegavis iaai.
This species lived around 68 million years ago, during the time of dinosaurs like the T. rex. Researchers believe Vegavis iaai is the oldest known modern bird.
Its brain structure and long beak resemble those of today's waterfowl, even though its strong jaw muscles are more similar to those of other modern birds like grebes and loons.
For years, scientists were uncertain about Vegavis's place in the evolutionary tree due to the scarcity of modern bird fossils from before the mass extinction that occurred 66 million years ago. This event wiped out a significant number of species.
Unlike findings in Madagascar and Argentina, where ancient birds had teeth and long tails, it seems Antarctica had a unique development path for birds during that time.
Answer: it the oldest known modern bird
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
24-02-2025
- South China Morning Post
Ancient bird skull found in Antarctica could be oldest known modern bird
A recent study found a nearly complete skull in Antarctica that may belong to an ancient ancestor of ducks and geese called Vegavis iaai. This species lived around 68 million years ago, during the time of dinosaurs like the T. rex. Researchers believe Vegavis iaai is the oldest known modern bird. Its brain structure and long beak resemble those of today's waterfowl, even though its strong jaw muscles are more similar to those of other modern birds like grebes and loons. For years, scientists were uncertain about Vegavis's place in the evolutionary tree due to the scarcity of modern bird fossils from before the mass extinction that occurred 66 million years ago. This event wiped out a significant number of species. Unlike findings in Madagascar and Argentina, where ancient birds had teeth and long tails, it seems Antarctica had a unique development path for birds during that time. Answer: it the oldest known modern bird
South China Morning Post
15-12-2024
- South China Morning Post
Write a funny caption for the Natural History Museum's 2024 Christmas jumper unveiling
Eye on the news The Natural History Museum's animatronic T. rex unveiled its 2024 Christmas jumper. Photo: AP Enjoy the audio version of this article! No day out at the Natural History Museum in London is complete without a visit to their animatronic T. rex . But now that spectacle comes with an added side of Christmas cheer. In what has become an annual tradition, the fearsome T. rex has once again been kitted out with its own Christmas jumper. Associated Press Send us a funny caption by filling out the form below or emailing [email protected] with your full name, age and school name. The deadline is at 12pm on December 18. We'll publish the best ones next week. Last week's top captions A person dressed as Olaf from the Disney film 'Frozen' during the 73rd Annual Concord Christmas Parade in Concord, New Hampshire. Photo: AFP Maisie Lo (aged 11), CCC Kei Wan Primary School: Hey! It is my nose, not a carrot, don't take it away! Anson Wong Chun-Hei (aged 10), Yaumati Catholic Primary School: I wish you all a merry snowmas! Enjoy the audio version of this article!
South China Morning Post
27-10-2024
- South China Morning Post
Unveiling the T. rex's diet through fossilised dinosaur poop
Have you ever wondered what and how the Tyrannosaurus rex ate? Scientists can learn a lot about its diet by studying its poop (see graphic). Pieces of bones found in fossilised dinosaur poop at a museum in Arizona called the Poozeum show that the T. rex probably swallowed its food in big pieces. The Poozeum opened in May and has more than 7,000 coprolites, fossilised poop, from animals that lived millions of years ago. Some are like termite droppings, while others weigh as much as 9kg. The president and curator of the Poozeum, George Frandsen, is an expert in the field. He said he bought his first chunk of coprolite when he was 18. 'It was funny. It was gross,' he said. 'But I learned very quickly it could tell us so much about our prehistoric past and how important they are to the fossil record.' Frandsen said there is no need to worry about smells or germs. Those evaporated millions of years ago when the poop got covered by dirt and rocks, and replaced by minerals, making them hard as rock. The museum also has a coprolite with a Guinness World Record for being the biggest poop ever found from a meat-eating dinosaur. It is more than 61cm long and over 15cm wide. Frandsen said it is believed to be from a T. rex because it was found where the species used to live. Sample answers Stop and think: It probably swallowed its food in big pieces. Read and answer: Scientists study dinosaur poop because it helps them learn more about what they ate.
