dinosaur

kǒnglóng

恐龙

long

cháng

长

tail

wěi

尾

feather

yǔmáo

羽毛

fossil

huàshí

化石

to rewrite / to overturn

gǎixiě

改写

bird

niǎolèi

鸟类

evolution

yǎnhuà

演化

history

shǐ

史

。

New Words

News in English

Fossil Discovery Overturns Theory of How Dinosaurs Lost Their Long Tails to Become Birds

Chinese paleontologists discovered a Jurassic-era fossil proving that birds lost their dinosaur ancestors long bony tails gradually over millions of years, not suddenly as previously believed.

Chinese paleontologists announced a major breakthrough discovery this week. Researchers found ancient bird fossils in Jurassic rock layers that reveal the evolution of tail structures. The fossils confirm that birds did not suddenly lose their dinosaur ancestors long bony tails. Instead, this characteristic disappeared through gradual evolution spanning millions of years. The research team conducted detailed analysis of the specimens, identifying multiple evolutionary stages. The discovery changes the scientific community understanding of bird origins. The research findings were published in a leading international academic journal. This work provides new evidence for understanding the evolution of vertebrates. China continues to lead the world in paleontology research.

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