Science

This 150-Million-Year-Old Bird Had a Body Built for the Land

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 11/11/2026, 13:08:25 UTC.

Briefings

A 150-million-year-old fossil from the Late Cretaceous period suggests flight evolved multiple times rather than once. The bird's anatomy indicates it was built for terrestrial life, contradicting the idea that early birds were primarily aerial. This discovery challenges the traditional view of avian evolution by highlighting a dual lifestyle in ancient dinosaurs.

Key points

• The fossil is approximately 150 million years old, dating to the Late Cretaceous period.
• The bird's skeletal structure suggests it was adapted for walking on land rather than flying.

Context

This finding challenges the long-held belief that flight evolved only once in the history of dinosaurs. The discovery appears in Nautilus, a publication focused on science and nature, and highlights a significant debate in paleontology regarding the origins of flight.

Limitations

The evidence is limited to a single fossil specimen from the Late Cretaceous period. The specific anatomical features supporting the terrestrial adaptation are not fully detailed in the available text, and the fossil's preservation state may affect the interpretation of its flight capabilities.

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