Maniraptora

Dinosaurs capture the attention of children and adults alike, and many people think that they are long gone. You might be surprised to find that they are not extinct, but rather perching in your backyard. The theory that theropods evolved into birds was proposed nearly a century and a half ago and is supported by more and more modern evidence. You will find that the distinction between birds and dinosaurs will become difficult, as they have so many parallels. The similarities between birds and dinosaurs

Most theropods had sharp, recurved teeth useful for tearing flesh, and claws were present on the ends of all of the fingers and toes (Hutchinson 2000). It is thought that birds are descendents of the group of theropods known as the coelurosaur or maniraptora. (There is debate as to whether these two groups should be one, so for the sake of this paper, I will refer to them as coelurosaurs.) This group can be typified by such species as Velociraptor and Deinonychus (Hutchinson 2000). The other hypothesis

Michael Crichton’s novel “Jurassic Park,” is a science fiction story about bringing dinosaurs back to life through genetic cloning. Throughout the book there are several references that dinosaurs are actually birds, not reptiles. Crichton did his research when writing these books because the science behind everything is correct. Dr. Henry Wu, the chief geneticist, cloned the DNA from insects in amber, a hard yellow resin of dried tree sap. Throughout the novel, Dr. Alan Grant, a paleontologist, is

Another, and possibly outlandish hypothesis, is in par with Chlamydosaurus kingii, and is usually coined the Cursorial Theory. Chlamydosaurus kingii, also known as the Australian Frilled Neck Lizard, employs a whimsical mode of transportation. Aquila audax, the largest bird of prey in Australia, supports as a constant threat to Chlamydosaurus kingii, as its highly efficacious eyesight extends into the infrared and ultraviolet bands. This is called Tetrachromacy. Tetrachromacy is the state of retaining

The Debate Over Birds and Feathered Dinosaurs Because dinosaurs are animals that lived millions of years ago, we are entirely dependent on the fossils that they have left behind for any understanding that we hope to gain. As any paleontologist will tell you, fossil hunting is difficult. There are no certainties, no guarantees. A certain amount of luck is as valuable as any scientific knowledge. Every so often a discovery is made that attempts to shake up pre-conceived notions of