Using advanced imaging applied science , scientists have shown that a ossified feather uncovered in the nineteenth century in all likelihood did n’t belong to the bird - like Archaeopteryx as conventionally consider .
In skill , the nullification of a hypothesis can be just as potent as a verification . The latter is often more exciting , but to verify an idea , scientists also have to rule out competing possibility . As source Arthur Conan Doyle famously said through Sherlock Holmes , “ Once you carry off the insufferable , whatever remains , no matter how improbable , must be the truth . ”
Newresearchpublished today in Scientific Reports posits one such impossibleness , concluding that a famous feather fossil could n’t possibly belong to an evenly illustrious dame - like dinosaur , the Archaeopteryx .
The 150 - million - year - old fossilized feather was uncovered in 1861 within Late Jurassic limestones from the Solnhofen domain of southern Germany , and it was the first fossil feathering ever discovered . Very briefly afterward , with the uncovering of an Archaeopteryx fossil — a critically important species linking reptiles to birds — scientist connected the two together , figuringthe feather in all likelihood belong to to the Archaeopteryx , though the propose provenance of the plumage remained controversial owing to miss elements in the fogy . Without evidence of the quill , for example , scientists were n’t able-bodied to tell which part of the body it belong to .
The new study , co - authored by paleontologist Michael Pittman from the University of Hong Kong , has finally provide this much needed evidence through the function of Laser - Stimulated Fluorescence ( LSF)—a cutting - sharpness imagination proficiency used to peer inside fossil .
premature analyses of the isolated feather were controversial owing to the nature of the fossil itself . Unlike other fossilized feathers , which be given to be keep up as impressions within the rock , the traces of this feather were intertwine onto the rock as a dark film . What ’s more , the fossil check no grounds of a quill ; it ’s uncomplete preservation thus made it impossible for scientist to identify the case of feather , be it primary ( gravid annex feathers want for flight of steps ) , secondary ( modest wing feather that cater lift ) , or basal covert ( also have it off as a tail plume ) . Without the quill , the character of plume could not be established — and that ’s where the LSF was able to assist .
“ LSF detected the missing quill of the apart feathering when XTC - ray fluorescence and UV proficiency did not , ” Pittman order Gizmodo . “ The pinion only remains as a geochemical ‘ wraith ’ ( or halo ) because the original fossil fabric is no longer save . LSF demonstrated great sensitivity to this halo , recognizing previously unappreciated detection limitations in other applied technique . ’’
With the perfect plume now visible , Pittman , along with study lead generator Thomas Kaye from Arizona ’s Foundation for Scientific Advancement , were capable to liken the plumage to those of confirmed Archaeopteryx feather impressions and those of living birds . Scientists had previously presume the plumage was a master cover from Archaeopteryx , but the raw analysis rule that out , as the plume lacked the required sulphur - shaped centerline . Further relative analytic thinking show that the feathering could n’t possibly belong to to Archaeopteryx , whether it be primary , secondary , or covert .
“ We made elaborate comparison between the isolated plume and all bang feather - preserving Archaeopteryx specimens and ruled out its similarity to them , ” say Pittman . “ This results in the conclusion that the respectable source of the isolated feather is a unknown feather dinosaur . ”
Indeed , the true possessor of the feather is now a closed book to be solved , but the researchers said it probably belong to an animal not too dissimilar from the Archaeopteryx . This remarkable conclusion suggests a couple of matter : the diversity of razz - like Jurassic dinosaur is probably greater than we ’ve appreciated , and there are likely more fossils of unknown species still hold off to be discovered . Also , and as Pittman pointed out , there ’s hope that “ additional feather - bear on specimens of Archaeopteryx will be found in the future to further clarify the detail of this authoritative former bird . ” For trusted — more fossil will help to further validate these new findings , while also shedding novel light on this exceptionally important species .
As a net note , this new study is yet another instance of how raw technology are making quondam fogy relevant again . For modernistic paleontologists , crucial oeuvre can be done not just by digging into tilt , but also by visiting museums .
[ Scientific Reports ]
PaleontologyScience
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