caption: Nearly 30 species of feathered dinosaurs have been reported during that time, mostly from China, although just last week a team from Canada announced that a closer look at previously discovered dinosaurs from Alberta revealed that they were also covered with feathers (Science, 26 October, p. 510). Perhaps the most spectacular of these finds have been beautifully preserved fossils of a crow-sized dinosaur called Microraptor,
exif: {"Image DocumentName": "Nearly 30 species of feathered dinosaurs have been reported during that time, mostly from China, although just last week a team from Canada announced that a closer look at previously discovered dinosaurs from Alberta revealed that they were also covered with feathers (Science, 26 October, p. 510). Perhaps the most spectacular of these finds have been beautifully preserved fossils of a crow-sized dinosaur called Microraptor,", "Image ImageDescription": "reported by Chinese paleontologists in 2000 (Science, 8 December 2000, p. 1871). Microraptor belongs to a group of carnivorous dinosaurs called the dromaeosaurids, which includes Velociraptor of Jurassic Park fame. The dromaeosaurids, many of which had feathers, were closely related to the earliest birds, although whether they were the closest of all dinosaur groups\u2014and whether any of them could actually fly\u2014is still a matter of debate. In a pair of companion papers presented at the Raleigh meeting, a team led by biologists Michael Habib of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and Justin Hall of USC and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County described new studies using three-dimensional models and computer simulations to figure out how Microraptor might much lift and maneuverability Microraptor would have achieved with its limbs in various positions, the researchers found that it would have been a much better flyer if it kept its forelimbs spread but its hind limbs tucked under its body, where they could be used as rudders to keep the animal under control as it banked and turned. By using the hind limbs in this way, the team concluded, Microraptor would have been able to turn twice as fast as a two-winged animal. The team also found that Microraptor\u2019s. long tail\u2014which is relatively longer than that of Velociraptor and many other dromaeosaurids\u2014 would have been a key part of this control and stabilization apparatus, helping to adjust the animal\u2019s pitch as it maneuvered among closely spaced trees. New studies suggest the feathered dromaeosaurid Microraptor used its hind legs as rudders to steer among the trees. Science 2 November 2012 vol 338 p591.", "Image XResolution": "200", "Image YResolution": "200", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "SlidePlayer", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Centered"}