Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Science

121-million-year-old fossils suggest Longipteryx had no tail feathers

Around 121 million years ago, somewhere in modern northeastern China, an early bird took to the skies. If you drew its silhouette, you'd notice something was missing. Unlike any bird alive today, it had no tail feathers.

121-million-year-old fossils suggest Longipteryx had no tail feathers
Image: Phys.org
Around 121 million years ago, somewhere in modern northeastern China, an early bird took to the skies. If you drew its silhouette, you'd notice something was missing. Unlike any bird alive today, it had no tail feathers.

Originally published at Phys.org

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