Dinosaurs happened to fly when 'posing'

Some paleontologists believe that the ancestors of modern birds often spread two front limbs to show off beautiful feathers when looking for a partner. After many generations, it gradually helps them to fly into the air.

Picture 1 of Dinosaurs happened to fly when 'posing'

When they spread out their front limbs, dinosaurs could show off their beautiful fur.Photo: Telegraph.


The development of dinosaur flight capabilities - considered the ancestors of modern birds - remains a controversial topic among paleontologists for decades. Some experts believe that the dinosaurs initially jumped out of the trees and glided down to the ground by spreading their front limbs. Over time, their flight distance gradually increased. However, most dinosaurs are bird-like shapes that live on the ground, not trees.

Some other scientists have suggested that the bird's ancestors clapped two forelimbs to create thrust to support climbing or fleeing predators. But a study by the University of Manchester (UK) proves that patting two limbs is ineffective and even reduces the running speed of dinosaurs. Therefore, this operation will not be retained during natural selection.

Instead, the team thinks that the sex selection process has created the ability to fly dinosaurs. In the process of sex selection, the attractive traits of dinosaurs are preserved over generations.

Dr. Robert Nudds, head of the University of Manchester research team, asserted that his research and colleagues show that sex selection plays a bigger role than we thought in the development of dinosaur flight capabilities. .

Animals that move with two legs rarely spread or swing two front limbs because they make them more likely to fall. People cannot run fast and are easy to fall when they spread out or swing their hands. If a certain animal spreads and flaps its two limbs while running, surely that movement must bring some benefit. Otherwise, it will not be maintained for generations.

The first birds are thought to have appeared since the end of the Jurassic period (about 145 million years ago). Many fossils were found by Archeopteryx - a feathered dinosaur. Paleontologists consider it a transitional species between modern dinosaurs and birds.

Dr. Nudds uses bio-mechanical models to simulate the movement of Archeopteryx and two other feathered dinosaurs, Caudipteryx and Protarcheopteryx. He found that the original wings of these three species hardly helped them climb or climb up the slope better, but even reduced their speed.

'We think that feathered dinosaurs flap the two limbs to show off beauty with the opposite sex. When the bird's ancestors ran around with extended limbs, the others could look at their beautiful fur , 'Nudds said.