The Oldest Short-Tailed Bird Fossil Discovered - China

The Oldest Short-Tailed Bird Fossil Discovered - China

Wang Min (R), a researcher with the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and Chen Runsheng, a professor-level senior engineer of Fujian Institute of Geological Survey (FIGS), check a replica of fossilized bird Baminornis zhenghensis, at the FIGS in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, on February 11, 2025. Chinese scientists have unearthed the oldest short-tailed bird fossil, dating back about 150 million years, in east China's Fujian Province. This suggests that birds might have originated earlier than previously thought. The fossilized bird Baminornis zhenghensis was discovered in Zhenghe County, Fujian Province. Its short tail ends in a compound bone called the pygostyle, a feature uniquely present in modern birds. This indicates that the body structure of modern birds emerged in the Late Jurassic Period, 20 million years earlier than previously known. The study, conducted by researchers from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleont

Rare fossilized dinosaur footprints found in E China

STORY: Rare fossilized dinosaur footprints found in E China DATELINE: Nov. 22, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:28 LOCATION: FUZHOU, China CATEGORY: SCIENCE SHOTLIST: 1. various of the site where the fossils were discovered 2. shot of researchers 3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): WANG XIAOLIN, Researcher at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences 4. various of dinosaur footprints 5. various of researchers 6. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): WANG BAOPENG, Associate researcher of Beijing Museum of Natural History 7. various of researchers 8. various of the site where the fossils were discovered STORYLINE: About 15 square meters of well-preserved dinosaur footprints with both positive and negative fossil slabs have been unearthed in Shanghang County, Longyan City of east China's Fujian Province. Experts say the discovery of such a large area of well-preserved dinosaur imprints is rare across the globe. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): WANG XIAOLIN, Researcher at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleont