The archaeopteryx acquired by the Field Museum in 2022 is only the 13th ever found – I didn’t know they were so rare! And there were tons of other things about archeopteryx that I didn’t know; I learned them yesterday during the discussion in the Field Museum. It was the opening night for Chicago archeopteryx – it took two years for scientists to prepare this fossil for the exhibition. Two lead scientists answered the audience’s questions. They were visibly excited about the new research prospects and said a book was in the works.
Other things I learned:
- All archeopteryxes found so far didn’t reach their maturity and were still going, so we do not know the size of an adult.
- It’s close to impossible to tell the gender of the species.
- We do not know what they ate, but most likely insects (judging by the teeth enamel)
- All birds lost their teeth in the process of evolution, and scientists are unsure why. All birds swallow small stones to grind the food in their stomachs (anyone who ever butchered a chicken would agree :))
- The feathered were not for flying originally, but rather for temperature preservation, and the ability to fly was an extra bonus 🙂
Hettie's Reflections 