Posted on 10/08/2004 12:30:38 PM PDT by Area Freeper
The earliest known relative of the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex had primitive feathers, probably to help it keep warm.
Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing found the remains of the early tyrannosauroid which roamed the earth between 139 and 128 million years ago, in western Liaoning, China, an area rich in fossil remains.
"This provides the first direct fossil evidence that tyrannosauroids had protofeathers," Xing Xu, one of the scientists, said in a report in the science journal Nature.
The primitive feathers were found on the remains of a dinosaur called Dilong paradoxus, which was about 1.5 yards long. It is the first member of the T-rex family with the characteristic.
But Xu said fossil records of T-rex indicate the giant beast had scales, which suggests that because of its huge size, it didn't need primitive feathers to keep warm.
He added that some large mammals such as elephants lose most of their body hairs as they mature.
"This therefore supports the hypothesis that the original function of protofeathers is correlated with thermoregulation," Xu added.
I wouldn't spread this around - everyone will want feathers!
Perhaps, even "Mama T"!
I watched a show on the discovery channel once about the theory that roosters came from dinosaurs. good supporting evidence, but I still bank on Intelligent Design - at least my own personal form of it.
No feathers here!........Pure ROCK!!!!!!!
I wouldn't spread this around - everyone will want feathers!
Perhaps, even "Mama T"!
I don't thing the two are mutually exclusive.
Ping
BTW look at my first keyword, which I included when posting...
"some large mammals such as elephants lose most of their body hairs as they mature. "
I thought that Cheney was powerful when he yelled this phrase at Edwards during the rebuttal segment of last Tuesday's debate.
I think what they actually found were the remains of an early T. Rex's feather boa!!
YEC INTREP
Wasn't this already proven on Jurassic Park?
Who cares.
Marc Bolins ancestors had feathers?
Prime cuts on that one!
Only on stage.....
Whether T. rex had scales, proto-feathers, or feathers, Barney the dinosaur is a fraud. Our children are being lied to. Will the damage be irremediable?
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