How Did Dinosaurs Evolve Into Birds

Remember Jurassic Park? Those guys were so
silly. If they wanted to see dinosaurs, just go outside. They're BIRDS NOW! Hey raptors, Trace here for DNews. Dinosaurs
are of constant fascination to humans all over the planet.

150 Million years ago, birds
were giant animals roaming free across the planet, until 65 million years ago, when that
big asteroid hit causing a massive extinction across the entirety of our planet. Obviously,
our ancient mammalian ancestors were able to survive, as were many other animals -- mostly
by burrowing into the ground or hiding in the water to escape the initial heat, and
then surviving on smaller prey during the ensuing years of cold. The big fellas like diplodocus would never
have survived -- they couldn't seek shelter and needed far too much food. But, according
to new research published in the journal Science, some dinosaurs DID survive, the smaller ones.
Scientists at the University of Adelaide analyzed the skeletal characteristics of 1,500 dinosaurs
over 50-million years and found theropods -- a carnivorous dinosaur family which included
tyrannosaurus -- got smaller, and smaller over that time.

In fact, they got smaller
in 12 separate mutations, going from 163 kilos on average to the 0.8 Kilo Archaeopteryx,
the first bird. Because they kept getting smaller, and because they ate meat rather
than plant life, they were able to survive the asteroid strike and ensuing extinction.
The reason meat eaters survived was because they didn't require as large a body as plant
eaters -- less body means less to take care of which means survival! Yay! Separate research, also published in Science
last month, theorizes that ALL dinosaurs had feathers, some were more primitive, more like
hairs or bristles, while others were soft and downy like modern birds. They discovered
this when they found a new dinosaur called Kulindadromeus zabaikalicus which had feathers,
but couldn't fly. This, combined with other evidence is enough to make a theory, but not
a final determination.

Though, taken together, it's pretty easy to see that modern birds
are probably tiny dinosaurs, and the scientists were quoted in the Washington Post saying,
"Without a doubt," that is the case. But why would these dinosaurs get smaller?
What would be the purpose? Scientists say there would be a distinct advantage. Smaller
carnivorous dinosaurs with feathers would be able to climb trees, glide, and MAYBE fly
-- allowing them to hunt prey that differed from their larger carnivorous brethren, also
helping them survive extinction. "They just knew how to innovate, evolutionarily speaking,"
Discovery News writer Richard Farrell said.

If you take this to be true, as many paleontologists
today do, then instead of being extinct, there are 10,000 species of dinosaur living and
breathing on our planet still today, even more than there are mammals or reptiles! Maybe
had some fried dinosaur for dinner last night, or went out to fill the dinosaur-feeder in
your yard or perhaps you have a pet dinosaur in a cage in your house All of those sound
pretty frickin' cool to me. What do you think? Are you on board with the
dinosaur-bird changeover? Are you going to start calling it KFD or eat dinosaur noodle
soup when youre sick? Make your own jokes down in the comments and
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