A rare bird fossil was recently acquired by a US museum in August 2022 and presented to the public on Monday. Birds are descendants of dinosaurs, which may be surprising when comparing the ancient giant lizards to the small birds we see today. The link between birds and dinosaurs is exemplified by Archeopteryx, one of the earliest birds whose remains have only been found in a few places around the world.
Paleontologist Jingmai O’Connor, who works as a curator at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Illinois, describes Archeopteryx as one of the most important fossils ever discovered. O’Connor has conducted extensive research on bird fossils and expressed disbelief at having the opportunity to study an Archeopteryx fossil. The fossil dates back more than 150 million years and was discovered during excavations in Germany in 1990 before making its way to the museum in 2022.
While Archeopteryx is considered by many as the world’s first bird, recent studies have shown that it may not be the direct precursor to modern birds. Despite this, Archeopteryx had wings, feathers, sharp teeth, and a bony tail like a reptile. It is part of the evolution of birds that has many branches, with some lines of development ending before reaching modern times. Other ancient bird fossils have been found in China dating back 160 million years.
In addition to the excitement surrounding the rare bird fossil at the Field Museum, there are ongoing discussions and developments in
