An international team of scientists has unearthed evidence that proved the existence of feathered polar dinosaurs. The discovery was made in Koonwarra, Australia. During the research, experts unearthed a remarkably well-preserved collection of 10 fossilized feathers from the site.
The study published in the journal Gondwana Research revealed that the unearthed fossils include downy body feathers and tufted hair-like proto-feathers from meat-eating dinosaurs. The discovered fossils also include wing feathers from primitive birds.
"Dinosaur skeletons and even the fragile bones of early birds have been found at ancient high-latitudes before. Yet, to date, no directly attributable integumentary remains have been discovered to show that dinosaurs used feathers to survive in extreme polar habitats," said Benjamin Kear, a researcher at the Uppsala University, and the lead author of the study.
Kear added that this discovery has huge significance, as it sheds light on the life of dinosaurs and birds that lived in a very cold environment with months of solar darkness every year. The research report also noted that feathers in the body of these dinosaurs might have helped them to stay warm during extreme winter. The study report also noted that this discovery could help to know more about the global distribution of feathered dinosaurs in the ancient days.
A few months back, researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences had discovered a tiny dinosaur in northeastern China. Interestingly, this dinosaur had bat-like wings, and researchers who took part in this study suggested that they might have flown across the skies during the Jurassic era. The study report also hinted that these dinosaur fossils were more than 163 million years old.
It should be noted that these tiny dinosaurs only weighed 300 grams, and they measured just 32 centimeters in length. The wings of these tiny creatures resembled a bat, as they were supported by a long rod-like bone.
