Half dinosaur, half bird… A 120-million-year-old creature surprised Chinese researchers!

Scientists have generally believed that dinosaurs lived on earth 66 million years ago. It is believed that due to the collision of an asteroid on earth, the dinosaurs were destroyed. Its fossils are still found all over the world. Apart from this, scientists also believe that birds have evolved only from dinosaurs. However, no one is yet aware of how all this would have happened. Now, a fossil found in China has made this issue more difficult. This fossil is estimated to be 120 million years old. The head of this fossil looks like a dinosaur and the body looks like a bird.

The new fossil, named Cratonavis zhui, may shed new light on the evolution of modern birds. The fossil of this bird was discovered during an excavation in northern China. This information is included in a study published this month in Nature Ecology & Evolution.

The study documented that Cratonavis zhui had a bird-like body due to its “surprisingly long” shoulder blades and metatarsal bones. The help of technology was taken to study the fossil. The researchers first performed a high-resolution CT scan. The special thing is that during this time the fossil was present where it was discovered. Following this, the researchers digitally separated their bones. After this, the researchers reconstructed the shape of the skull and the functions of the fossil. The scientists found that the skull of the fossil is not like the skull of birds, it is similar to the skull of dinosaurs like T.rex.

It is noteworthy that millions of years ago, dinosaurs lived on earth. The tragedy that occurred when a devastating asteroid hit the earth is believed to have wiped out the existence of the dinosaurs. Last year, too, the scientists had great success. He had found the foot of a dinosaur. It was largely preserved. Scientists believe this is the first fossil associated with a catastrophic asteroid. This fossil was discovered at the Tanis Fossil Site in North Dakota, USA. Skin from the feet was attached to it. Scientists hope that this fossil can shed light on the actual incident that happened to the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. Find out what really happened when a giant asteroid hit Earth and wiped out the dinosaurs.