WeWow on the Weekend (11/30/24)

Collagen Link

The discovery of collagen in dinosaur bones has unveiled a fascinating connection between ancient creatures and modern birds. Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz discuss how paleontologists from North Carolina State University found collagen in a 68-million-year-old T. Rex leg bone, linking it to modern chickens 1. This groundbreaking find suggests that chickens, like Rexy, may have descended from dinosaurs, specifically the Tyrannosaurus Rex 1.

What I mean is that even though Rexy here might not technically be a Tyrannosaurus Rex, Rexy's great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great great great great great great grandparents very well could have been.

--- Mindy Thomas

This discovery not only highlights the evolutionary link but also emphasizes the shared biological traits between these species.

   

Bird-Dino Link

The evolutionary connection between birds and dinosaurs is further supported by scientific evidence. Guy Raz notes that the collagen found in dinosaurs is almost identical to that in modern chickens, reinforcing the theory that all birds are related to prehistoric dinosaurs 2. Mindy Thomas adds that many dinosaurs, once thought to be scaly, actually had feathers, similar to birds 2.

Over the past 20 years or so, 30 species of non avian or non flying dinosaurs have been found with feathers just like birds.

--- Guy Raz

This revelation reshapes our understanding of dinosaurs, illustrating their diverse characteristics and their evolutionary journey to becoming modern birds.