The ancient pattern is hidden in the feathers of birds

Scientists have discovered an ancient pattern in bird feathers that gives birds strength.

Although the flight style of modern birds has changed, they all have the same basic feathers. Scientists analyzed hundreds of bird specimens preserved in museum collections around the world. According to scientists, there is a special pattern in the feathers of birds that increases the power of flight in these birds. According to the newly discovered rules, scientists can understand which dinosaurs were able to fly.

Paleontologist Jing Mei O'Connor from the Field Museum of Natural History says: Birds are the survivors of the theropoda dinosaurs and are one of the most successful generations of vertebrates on earth. One of the reasons for the success of birds is their ability to fly. Also, their feathers have versatile structures and are another reason for their success.

Understanding the patterns of bird feathers and new data can help scientists resolve some of the oldest debates in paleontology. One of the important topics in this field is the discovery of evolution and the possibility of flight in more than one case of dinosaurs. These scientists want to know if flight evolved in more than one dinosaur.

These researchers examined the wing feathers of 346 different species of birds in museums around the world. In this research, it was found that birds with the ability to fly have 9 to 11 asymmetrical flight feathers called primary feathers. However, flightless birds have different primary feathers. For example, ostriches lack these feathers and penguins have 40 primary feathers.

Natural History Museum ornithologist Youssef Kiat says in this regard: Despite the many flight styles among birds, there is a common feature in them, which is the existence of 9 to 11 primary feathers. The surprising thing is that no one has found such a pattern before.