Diving Deeper into the Wings of the First Bird: Archaeopteryx's Flight Capabilities Unveiled
Emerging data demonstrates the potential for Archaeopteryx to take flight.
Ever since its discovery, the question of whether the earliest known bird, Archaeopteryx, could fly has been a subject of debate. Recent research sheds some light on this intriguing question. A team from the US has provided additional evidence, suggesting that Archaeopteryx's unique wing structure enabled it to fly.
This remarkable fossil, which lived around 150 million years ago, was discovered near Bavaria, Germany. The most well-preserved specimen, now housed at the Field Museum in Chicago, has offered researchers new insights.
Did you know? The oldest (non-fossil) ant discovered in Brazil is thought to be over 99 million years old[5].
Initial examinations, using micro-computed tomography with UV light, revealed something surprising about the primitive bird: it had specialized feathers, known as tertiary feathers, similar to modern flight feathers. These feathers are essential for filling gaps in the wings, providing the necessary lift for flight.
Lead researcher Jingmai O'Connor explains, "Archaeopteryx had a longer humerus [upper arm bone] compared to most living birds, creating a potential gap between the primary and secondary feathers [hand and arm feathers] and the body. This gap could disrupt lift and prevent flight. However, the presence of tertiary feathers in our specimen has significantly changed our understanding of Archaeopteryx's flight capabilities."
This stunning discovery supports previous theories suggesting the presence of flight feathers on the Archaeopteryx. Despite this feature being contentious, the findings have provided concrete evidence to back the argument.
"These feathers are not present in feathered dinosaurs, which are closely related to birds, but are not birds themselves," O'Connor adds. "Their wing feathers tend to stop at the elbow."
Researchers also suspect that these feathers may have played an additional role in visual communication among the animals. While Archaeopteryx had significant wings, its presence of pads on the toes and a longer tail than previously believed indicate that it likely spent time on the ground and may have even climbed trees. This suggests a mixed terrestrial and tree-associated habitat for this early flying bird.
These findings help us better understand the evolution of bird flight and how flying capabilities developed in Archaeopteryx, a transitional form between feathered dinosaurs and modern birds.
[1] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-10530-x[2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938419302075[3] https://www.pnas.org/content/117/18/9685[4] http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.1002351[5] http://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(12)01722-6
In light of the new findings about Archaeopteryx's flight capabilities, it would be beneficial to update the community policy regarding environmental education, focusing on the interplay of environmental-science, technology, and space-and-astronomy in the evolution of flight. This expanded understanding can inspire future generations to pursue careers in these fields while fostering an appreciation for the complexities of environmental science.
