New Fossil Challenges Bird Evolution
Because of the discovery of a new birdlike fossil, researchers are beginning to wonder if the bird evolution theory is accurate. The new fossil pre-dates all other birdlike fossils that birds were thought to have evolved from. In the past, paleontologists believed that birds evolved from a group of dinosaurs called theropods from the Early Cretaceous around 120-130 million years ago. The new bird, or Eosinpteryx disproves the theory that the Archaeopteryx or 'first-bird' was of significant importance in the evolution of modern birds. The new bird was found in north-eastern China and its fossils indicate that it was a flightless bird.
NOS Themes:
- Science is based on evidence
- Science is subject to debate and tentative
- Role of chance
- Science is collaborative
I find this article really interesting because I've always been told and thought that birds were direct decedents of dinosaurs just because of what paleontologists were telling us. But this knew knowledge that the Eosinpteryx predates the other bird like fossils is a rather new and exciting concept for everybody. I agree that it has the NOS themes of being based on evidence, being subject to debate, being tentative, being collaborative and including the role of chance and I don't think I could add anything to this.
ReplyDelete