April Fowls: Archaeopteryx

·1 hr 22 min·5 clips

A new troodontid dinosaur has a thick, domed skull like a Pachycephalosaur, and it might have bashed heads.

This is the 562nd episode of I Know Dino, an April Fowls special dedicated to birds and bird-related dinosaur science. Hosts Garret and Sabrina begin by thanking patrons and explaining the tradition, which started in 2022. The first news item is Xenovenator espinosai, a new troodontid from Coahuila, Mexico, with an unusually thick, domed skull reminiscent of Pachycephalosaurs, suggesting possible intraspecies combat. They then discuss a complete evolutionary tree of all bird species, created using the Open Tree of Life Project, encompassing over 9,000 species. Two new fossil birds are introduced: Pujatapoli soberana, a diving bird from late Cretaceous Antarctica, and Kungpunornis anhuiensis, a fish-eating bird from early Cretaceous China. The episode delves into the mechanics of flight evolution, covering feather asymmetry, the role of the pisiform wrist bone in theropods like troodontids and oviraptorids, and the development of the propatagialis muscle in bird ancestors. A study on vortex dynamics explains flapping frequency in birds, bats, and insects. New Microraptor specimens with preserved soft tissue show it had a V-shaped wingtip and was a capable flyer. Research on theropod tracks suggests some used wings to aid running. The episode also covers birds' lumbosacral organ for balance, evidence of Arctic nesting for 73 million years, and a mathematical rule governing theropod snout and beak shapes. The dinosaur of the day is Archaeopteryx, revisited with updates on new specimens like the Chicago specimen, which through CT scans reveals tertial feathers and feeding adaptations, confirming flight capability.

As heard by us

A grounded April Fowls episode that ties Archaeopteryx, Microraptor, and bird evolution together.

This April Fowls episode of I Know Dino uses Archaeopteryx as a clear entry point into bird evolution and birdlike dinosaur history. It then moves through a new troodontid with a skull that resembles a pachycephalosaur's, two prehistoric birds, Microraptor, the bird evolutionary…

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Why you'd press play

You want Archaeopteryx, Microraptor, bird evolution, and a little April Fowls mischief on the side.

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