These spectacular bird wings carry fossilized amber 99 million years – Gizmodo in Spanish

Find old and fossilized insects trapped in amber is fairly common, but the recent discovery of two quills not have min’gun precedent. These “fossil 3D”, which besides pens also have traces of soft tissue, are absolutely spectacular

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the birds first appeared on the face of the earth about 150 million years ago when dinosaurs were still lords and masters of the planet. Scientists have collected enough data about these birds thanks to fossils but are, not surprisingly, 2D because of the “flattening” forcing the rock.

They also found remains of these birds in amber, such as, but only isolated pens. The discovery of a pair of wings in perfect condition fossilized in amber for 99 million years now offers an unprecedented look at what these birds and what they look really had.

the fossils, described today in the study of Nature Communications , they have been discovered by paleontologists Xing Lida, Ryan McKellar and colleagues in the province of Kachin, Myanmar. Unbelievably, these 3D fossils still have remnants of hair follicles, soft tissue and the arrangement of the feathers. All this from a creature that lived 100 million years ago. This is the first time scientists can study a bird that became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period

the arrangement of the feathers, and even color, are still visible. (Image: L. Xing et al, 2016.)

a recreation of an adult. (Image: Nobu Tamura)

Since the wings are small, and tiny proportions, researchers believe that the remains belong to a pair of baby who died shortly after be born. The duo belonged to an ancient species of birds called Enantiornithines. Both young and adults had a very similar arrangement feathers so fossils also provide insight into how the arrangement of the same was in the latter.

feathers have remained intact for nearly 100 million years. (Picture:. L. Xing et al, 2016)

The researchers examined the structure and arrangement of the bones and feathers using techniques such as “s ynchrotron X-ray micro CT scanning “. In general, the plumage of fossil keeps many references to modern birds. Placed next to a robin, for example, they are almost indistinguishable. Exhibit a similar provision, pigmentation (yes, amber also preserved until the color) and microstructure

hair follicles and skin portions can be seen in the fossil. (Picture:. L. Xing et al, 2016)

“These specimens show that the plumage associated with modern birds were present in ancient copies of Enantiornithes makes 99 million years, “the authors write in the study

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that suggests that bird feathers evolved more than 100 million years ago and they have not changed much since. As evolution has informed us again and again: if something works, do not touch it. [Nature Communications]

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