The earliest specimen of Archaeopteryx – the ‘first bird’ – was discovered in 1861 and was recognised as a missing link between reptiles and birds. Though they are incredibly important fossils, Archaeopteryx specimens have been very hard to come by. Since 1861 only 11 full body specimens (most missing their skulls), and one lone … [Read more…]
In the early stages of evolving flight, feathered dinosaurs tried an interesting experiment: they developed four wings. These small dinosaurs – such as Microraptor, Anchiornis and Xiaotingia – had long flight feathers on their hind limbs as well as their fore limbs, and they had long bony tails, similarly replete with large feathers. It appears … [Read more…]
Thanks to all who made it to ‘Flying Dinosaurs: A night at the museum’ on Thursday evening! This glitzy Australian Geographic Society event to launch the book – held at Sydney’s historic Australian Museum – was an enormous success, with all 120 tickets sold out. Flying Dinosaurs author, John Pickrell, gave a 45-minute talk about some of … [Read more…]
Archaeopteryx, the ‘first bird’, has fascinated people since the first mostly complete specimen was dug out of a quarry in Bavaria in 1861. Along with a number of other dinosaurs and early birds, researchers have now been able to look at the microstructural features of fossilised feathers of the animal, and determine that its … [Read more…]
Happy birthday to Mary Anning (21 May 1799 – 9 March 1847) – one of the most important women to influence the history of science. I’m excited to see that Mary Anning – pioneering British female fossil hunter and palaeontologist – is rocking the Google doodle today, on what would have been her 215th birthday. Anning made … [Read more…]
Columbia University Press have purchased the rights to publish Flying Dinosaurs: How fearsome reptiles became birds in the US and Canada! This is exciting as the book will reach a bigger audience across North America than if the Australian version had been distributed there alone. The book will be published at the same time as … [Read more…]
THE GOBI DESERT is a vast and remote area covering nearly 1,300sq.km of Mongolia and the Chinese province of Inner Mongolia. It stretches from Siberian wilderness in the north to the Tibetan Plateau in the South. Starkly beautiful and mysterious, it has become one of the world’s most important locations for new dinosaur fossils – … [Read more…]