Hold onto your feathers, science fans! A game-changing study reveals modern birds began evolving 87 million years ago—way before dinosaurs went extinct 66 million years ago. This flips the script on the long-held belief that birds diversified rapidly after the asteroid wiped out their scaly neighbors.
How Did They Crack the Case?
Scientists from China and the U.S. analyzed genomes of 124 bird species (think: evolutionary family tree meets DNA detective work ). They found birds split into two groups during the Late Cretaceous: land birds (like eagles) and waterbirds (penguins, seagulls). Spoiler: Dinosaurs were still roaming!
Climate’s Role in Bird Evolution
Another plot twist? A global warming event 55 million years ago sparked the rise of modern seabirds. Penguins sliding into the scene? Thank ancient climate change.
Lead researcher Wu Shaoyuan from Jiangsu Normal University said, \"The dinosaur extinction had limited impact on birds' evolution.\" Co-author Zhou Zhonghe added that bird evolution was a \"gradual dance with nature,\" tied to changes in plants and other animals.
So next time you spot a sparrow, remember: its ancestors might’ve outlived T-Rex!
A game-changing study reveals modern birds began evolving 87 million years ago—way before dinosaurs went extinct 66 million years ago. This flips the script on the long-held belief that birds diversified rapidly after the asteroid wiped out their scaly neighbors.
How Did They Crack the Case?
). They found birds split into two groups during the Late Cretaceous: land birds (like eagles) and waterbirds (penguins, seagulls). Spoiler: Dinosaurs were still roaming!
Climate’s Role in Bird Evolution
Dinosaur Fossils Unearthed in Hong Kong for First Time 
