The feathered Dromaeosaur is seen in the second of two opposing slabs dated to 130 million years old. Its pose is similar to that of its close ancestor, the oldest known proto-bird Archaeopteryx lithographica. Another of its ancestors was Velociraptor, a bi-pedal carnivore made (in)famous by the Steven Spielberg film, Jurassic Park. Scientists believe Dromaeosaur could not fly but speculate it would run toward its prey, then silently glide in for the kill.
Birds of a Feather
For 140 years, scientists argued over the link between modern birds and dinosaurs. The final, feathery piece of the puzzle fell into place two years ago when farmers in China unearthed the "fuzzy raptor." This 124-million-year-old fossil has the bones of a dinosaur and the feathers of a bird. Now it's flown to Europe...