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Science: What is the largest flying creature in Earth’s history?
Science: What is the largest flying creature in Earth’s history?
The Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology has devoted a special edition to Quetzalcoatl, the largest member of the pterosaur family that lived in the North … 01.01.2022, Sputnik Italy
2022-01-01T23:26+0100
2022-01-01T23:26+0100
2022-01-01T23:26+0100
science and technology
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In 5 of the articles, scientists tried to explore how such a huge animal, with a wingspan of 12-15 meters, could soar through the air. Another article describes two new and smaller species of Quetzalcoatl. Fossils of the giant Quetzalcoatlus pterosaur were discovered in 1971 in Texas, United States. Its name is derived from Quetzalcoatlus, the Aztec feathered serpent god. It is the largest flying creature known in Earth’s history to date, and since then the giant “Texas pterodactyl” has been mentioned repeatedly in movies and comics, but we still can’t explain how it managed to fly, despite its importance. its payload. Scientists have suggested that Quetzalcoatlus wobble on the tips of its wings before taking off, as a vampire bat does, or that it picks up its speed by spreading and flapping its wings, like an albatross, or even that it can’t fly at all. From the fact that this animal probably first jumped to a height of about 2.5 meters and then began to flap its wings. All known Quetzalcoatlus fossils are kept in the University of Texas Museum where most research was conducted. A detailed inventory of the collection has led paleontologists to discover two smaller species of Quetzalcoatlus with a wingspan of 5-6 meters, as well as the previously known giant Quetzalcoatlus northropi. One of them, Quetzalcoatlus lawsoni, is named after Douglas Lawson, the discoverer of these animals. Analyzing the bones of smaller species and simulating aerodynamics allowed scientists to reconstruct the take-off mechanisms of giant pterosaurs. The authors studied the geological context in which the fossils were found and concluded that the Quetzalcoatl were similar in lifestyle to modern herons: in fact, they hunted alone in rivers, streams, and shallow lakes, congregating in flocks during the love season. For example, at one of the sites analyzed, paleontologists found 30 remains of specimens in close proximity to each other.
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science and technology
The Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology has a special issue devoted to Quetzalcoatl, the largest member of the pterosaur family that lived in North America 70 million years ago.
Fossils of the giant pterosaur Quetzalcoatlus were discovered in 1971 in Texas, United States. Its name is derived from Quetzalcoatlus, the Aztec feathered serpent god. It is the largest flying creature known in Earth’s history so far.
Since then, the giant “Texas pterodactyl” has been repeatedly mentioned in films and comics, but we still can’t explain how it managed to fly, despite its large size. Scientists have suggested that Quetzalcoatlus wobble on the tips of its wings before takeoff, like a vampire bat, or that it picks up speed by spreading and flapping its wings, like an albatross, or even that it can’t fly at all.
A new study provides evidence that this animal may have first jumped to a height of about 2.5 meters and then began flapping its wings.
Geosciences at the University of Texas at Austin, Matthew Brown, director of the University of Texas Jackson School of Geosciences, one of the study authors, said in a press release.
All known Quetzalcoatlus fossils are kept in the University of Texas Museum where most research was conducted. A detailed inventory of the collection has led paleontologists to discover two smaller species of Quetzalcoatlus with a wingspan of 5-6 metres, as well as Quetzalcoatlus northropi Previously known giant. one of them , Quetzalcoatlus Lawsoni, named after Douglas Lawson, discoverer of these animals.
Analyzing the bones of smaller species and simulating aerodynamics allowed scientists to reconstruct the take-off mechanisms of giant pterosaurs.
“Pterosaurs had huge bony bones to which their flying muscles attached, so there’s no doubt that they are excellent birds,” said Kevin Badian, a professor emeritus at UC Berkeley who led the study of the biomechanics of the flight of the Quetzalcoatl.
The authors studied the geological context in which the fossils were found and concluded that the Quetzalcoatl were similar in lifestyle to modern herons: in fact, they hunted alone in shallow rivers, streams, and lakes, congregating in flocks during the love season. For example, at one of the sites analyzed, paleontologists found 30 remains of specimens in close proximity to each other.
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