Posted on 01/12/2009 6:55:59 PM PST by bruinbirdman
A dinosaur that would have been covered with feathers has been discovered in China, adding to evidence that supports the theory that birds evolved from ancient reptiles. It is thought that the plant-eating dinosaur would have used the feathers to attract a mate.
Two types of feather were found on the animal’s remains, and one that would have been used to signal to other creatures is the most primitive form yet seen in a dinosaur.
This feather is believed by researchers to have been used by the animal to signal its intentions to potential mates and as a means of warning off rivals.
The discovery of the elongated broad filamentous feathers has excited palaeontologists, who believed that such coverings existed but had never seen them.
It is believed that dinosaurs had them at some point in the past because more advanced forms have already been discovered on dinosaur remains.
The primitive feathers on the Beipiaosaurus dinosaur are similar to the earliest forms seen on ancient birds. While the Beipiaosaurus feathers dated from about 20 million years after the time when Archaeopteryx, the earliest bird yet discovered, was alive the form is thought to have evolved first on dinosaurs. The discovery in China proves that they had them.
The second type of feather found on the fossilised dinosaur, which would have grown up to three metres (10ft) long, was a more advanced type and is thought to have been used for insulation. Feathers from the animal were clearly visible on the fossilised remains of half a skeleton, including the head, neck and part of the tail. Those that were used for communication grew most densely on the back of the neck and at the end of the creature’s tail.
Professor Xing Xu, of the Chinese Academy of
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
Did they find Noah’s Ark?
They found a worm in it?
More scientific speculation. They used feather to attract a mate. Give me a break. Feathers are for one thing, flying. It’s one of the many things the evolutionist can’t explain with their half baked theory of random mutation and natural selection.
Idiot.
Can’t these guys make up their minds? First, Dinosaurs are rendered extinct by an Asteroid, then they evolved into birds. Which is it?
I’m waiting for, “both”.
I have never been able to figure out if it is random mutation how did it become the norm? And how did everything become male and female if it was all random? The male and female would seem to be a very chancy way to go what if something became a male and there were no females to mate with or vise versa. Seem like a very chancy way to go, why was everything and why is everything not self replicating? Seems like that would be the best way to ensure a mutation to survive.
It's possible this was a juvenile. But a juvenile what? That's the question.
I am still waiting for Noah’s ark. But wait, wouldn’t the dinosours eat the birds on the Ark? (and Noah too?) OOOPPS, now I know what prompted this wacky evolution theory 130 years ago. The Ark theory sunk!
I think that the found feathers were the remains of food!
From the drawing, why would a heavy reptile develop feathers from an evolutionary standpoint.
What does it have to do with survival of the fittest?
‘cause it was pretty ~ ain’t you got no artistic taste?
discovered in China
thats where the Last Fake Fossil was “Found”
BANDWIDTH — 1.7 MEGS!
Something as amazing as peacock feathers evolved purely by chance. Purely by random mutation and natural selection.
If they needed that to survive wouldn’t they have died out long before they got to that state.
Nature is a mystery that no theory can explain.
A small subset of dinosaurs evolved into birds. Every species of dinosaur went extinct about 65 million years ago.
You can make a reasonable argument that dinosaurs did survive as proto-birds, however.
When You Really Really Want To Make A Point.
“A small subset of dinosaurs evolved into birds. Every species of dinosaur went extinct about 65 million years ago”
That’s speculation.
Males and Females have something that hermaphrodites will never have though, sexual specialization, division of labor, sexual selection, and sexual dimorphism leading to mostly non overlapping prey determination.
Do you think you should throw out all your money because some of it is sometimes found to be fake?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.