Feather in Fossil Poop Reveals Bird Survival Clues | Science News

A 66-million-year-old feather, preserved in dinosaur poop, may hold the key to why birds survived the asteroid impact while other dinosaurs didn’t. Found in Montana, this feather belonged to a diving bird called a hesperornithiform—once thought to have survived because of its aquatic lifestyle. But new analysis reveals it had less insulating feathers than modern bird ancestors, suggesting insulation, not water skills, might have been the real survival advantage in the post-impact cold. Scientists are now using CT scans on fossilized droppings to uncover more secrets—proving sometimes the smallest clues can solve the biggest evolutionary mysteries. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/d63e025d46e4efb6