Detected fossil dinosaur four wings

Some dinosaurs seem to be flying before the evolution of birds, the newly discovered fossil has proved this.

The Changyuraptor dinosaur fossil has just been found in China. This species has up to four wings so it helps them control flight as well as secure and stable landing.

Through fossils, scientists determined that the 1.2-meter long, 4-kilogram Changyuraptor, is considered the largest dinosaur in comparison to its relatives ever discovered.

Picture 1 of Detected fossil dinosaur four wings
Photo: AFP / Getty Images

Fossils are still in good condition, excavated in Liaoning province, northeastern China. Fossils include quite full fur covering the body. Particularly, compared to the body, this species has unusually long tail feathers.

Four wings of dinosaurs are known as microraptorines because its feathers are attached to the legs, thus creating a second set of wings.

In fact, because feathers grow well not only on true wings but also on legs, scientists first wondered if they could fly?

The Daily Mail quoted Dr. Alan Turner of Stony Brook University (New York, USA), one of the authors of the new study, published in Nature Communications, saying that many of the species' features are somewhat congruent. Consistent with the evolution of birds in practice: including hollow bone structure, nesting behavior, feathers and the ability to fly.

The golden age of dinosaurs has many flying species, even tag them like a small plane.

The discovery of the changyuraptor blurs the line between ancient dinosaurs and birds, even very early birds like Archeopteryx.