How do dinosaur flights take place?

Scientists at the University of Southampton (UK) conducted a series of experiments on simulation models of ancient dinosaurs and discovered extremely interesting things about the ability of this species to hover.

Scientists have created Microraptor, a four-winged flight of dinosaur model to describe the process of flying and flapping wings based on descriptions of the first dinosaurs that lived 140 million years ago in the Cretaceous period.

Microraptor - flying dinosaur model

Simulation flights take place in the wind tunnel, with wind speeds of more than 20m / s. The experiment showed that Microraptor was most stable when it extended its wings. What's interesting is that their wings are very simple, not so sophisticated as many people think.

Image of the wind tunnel, where the experiment takes place.

Roeland de Kat, co-author of the study, said: "What is obtained after experimenting with Microraptor is very consistent with dinosaur fossils. It also contributes to reinforce the hypothesis: flying creatures. first evolved from flightless dinosaurs, these species then adapted and formed aerodynamic characteristics that help them fly, interestingly that aerodynamic efficiency is not a factor. determines Microraptor's ability to fly ".

Gareth Dyke and Roeland de Kat - Two authors of the study

The study is published in the latest issue of Nature Communications. The results of the study ended the debate about the evolutionary history of feathered dinosaurs and their flight ability.