Credit: Davide Bonadonna/Universidade de Vigo/UCLA new study led by scientists from UCL and the University of Vigo suggests that the ability to manage body temperature level, a characteristic shared by all modern mammals and birds, might have very first developed among specific dinosaurs in the early Jurassic duration, approximately 180 million years ago.A new study led by scientists from UCL and the University of Vigo recommends that the capability to regulate body temperature level, a characteristic shared by all mammals and birds, may have first evolved in some dinosaurs throughout the early Jurassic duration, around 180 million years ago.In the early 20th century, dinosaurs were considered slow-moving, “cold-blooded” animals like modern-day reptiles, relying on heat from the sun to manage their temperature level. Newer discoveries suggest some dinosaur types were most likely capable of creating their own body heat but when this adaptation took place is unknown.Research Methods and FindingsThe brand-new study, released in the journal Current Biology, looked at the spread of dinosaurs throughout different environments on Earth throughout the Mesozoic Era (the dinosaur age lasting from 230 to 66 million years ago), drawing on 1,000 fossils, environment designs and the geography of the period, and dinosaurs evolutionary trees.The research study team found that 2 of the 3 main groupings of dinosaurs, theropods (such as T. rex and Velociraptor) and ornithischians (including family members of the plant eaters Stegosaurus and Triceratops), moved to colder climates during the Early Jurassic, recommending they might have developed endothermy (the ability to internally create heat) at this time. It sheds new light on how birds may have inherited a distinct biological characteristic from dinosaur forefathers and the different ways dinosaurs adjusted to complex and long-term ecological modifications.
Credit: Davide Bonadonna/Universidade de Vigo/UCLA new research study led by researchers from UCL and the University of Vigo suggests that the capability to control body temperature level, a characteristic shared by all modern mammals and birds, may have very first developed amongst specific dinosaurs in the early Jurassic duration, around 180 million years ago.A brand-new study led by researchers from UCL and the University of Vigo suggests that the ability to control body temperature level, a characteristic shared by all mammals and birds, may have very first progressed in some dinosaurs during the early Jurassic period, around 180 million years ago.In the early 20th century, dinosaurs were considered slow-moving, “cold-blooded” animals like modern-day reptiles, relying on heat from the sun to manage their temperature. More recent discoveries show some dinosaur types were likely capable of creating their own body heat however when this adaptation took place is unknown.Research Methods and FindingsThe brand-new research study, published in the journal Current Biology, looked at the spread of dinosaurs throughout different climates on Earth throughout the Mesozoic Era (the dinosaur age lasting from 230 to 66 million years ago), drawing on 1,000 fossils, climate designs and the location of the duration, and dinosaurs evolutionary trees.The research study team discovered that two of the 3 primary groupings of dinosaurs, theropods (such as T. rex and Velociraptor) and ornithischians (including loved ones of the plant eaters Stegosaurus and Triceratops), moved to colder climates throughout the Early Jurassic, suggesting they may have established endothermy (the ability to internally create heat) at this time. It sheds new light on how birds may have acquired an unique biological trait from dinosaur ancestors and the different ways dinosaurs adjusted to complex and long-term environmental modifications.