Dinosaurs 101

Feathered Dinosaurs?

Yup! Recent discoveries show that a majority of dinosaurs were probably covered in feathers! Fossils found in China and Siberia have revealed an ancestor to most dinosaurs that were covered in tufts of feathers. The Kulindadromeus zabaikalicus (KOO-lin-dah-DRO-mee-us ZAH-bike-kal-ik-kuss) had downy feathers, most likely for insulation, and scales down their back and tale. The scales on Kulindadromeus resemble the scaly skin seen on some birds, the study says, which also argues for a deep genetic root linking dinosaurs to birds. Maybe the robin in your backyard has some distant relatives in the Jurassic Period!