Studied dinosaur specimen NJUES-10 under natural and UV light showing the orange-yellow fluorescence of the fossil skin. Credit: Dr. Zixiao Yang
Paleontologists in Ireland have uncovered evidence that certain feathered dinosaurs had scaly skin like reptiles today, offering new insights into the evolutionary shift from scales to feathers.period —a crucial era for the evolution of dinosaurs into birds. This study revealed, for the first time, that areas of theNature Communications
The team used ultraviolet light to identify patches of preserved skin, which are invisible in natural light. Further investigation of the fossil skin using X-rays and infrared light revealed spectacular details of preserved cellular structure.Dr. Yang says: “The fossil truly is a hidden gem. The fossil skin is not visible to the naked eye, and it remained hidden when the specimen was donated to Nanjing University in 2021. Only under UV light is the skin visible, in a striking orange-yellow glow.
“The evolution of feathers from reptilian scales is one of the most profound yet poorly understood events in vertebrate evolution. While numerous fossils of feathers have been studied, fossil skin is much more rare.
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