Archaeopteryx (/ ˌɑːrkiːˈɒptərɪks /; lit. 'old-wing'), sometimes referred to by its German name, " Urvogel " (lit. Primeval Bird) is a genus of bird -like dinosaurs. The name derives from the ancient Greek ἀρχαῖος (archaîos), meaning "ancient", and πτέρυξ (ptéryx), meaning "feather" or "wing".

Feb 5, 2025 · Fossils reveal how birds survived the killer asteroid and became today’s only living dinosaurs. Contrary to popular belief, dinosaurs never went extinct. They’re still alive among us – in the...

Jun 12, 2019 · Often considered the first true bird, Archaeopteryx was something far more complex: a tiny dinosaur with distinctly bird-like characteristics.

Feb 5, 2025 · Fossils reveal how birds survived the killer asteroid and became today’s only living dinosaurs. Why are birds the only dinosaurs still alive today?

The present scientific consensus is that birds are a group of maniraptoran theropod dinosaurs that originated during the Mesozoic era. A close relationship between birds and dinosaurs was first proposed in the nineteenth century after the discovery …

Mar 11, 2025 · Archaeopteryx, genus of feathered dinosaur that was once thought to be the oldest known fossil bird. Its wing design and the structure and arrangement of its wing feathers were similar to that of most living birds, but its bone structure suggests that it engaged only in bursts of powered flight over short distances.

Archaeopteryx was a small, bird-like dinosaur. It lived during the Late Jurassic Period in what is now Europe. The discovery of the first Archaeopteryx fossil in Germany in 1861 caused a lot of confusion. No birds were known from so far back. Some people even thought it might be an angel.

Mar 27, 2025 · Most researchers agree that birds — such as Twiggy, a barred owl at Potomac Overlook Regional Park in Arlington, Va. — descended from small theropods about 160 million years ago. Their ancestors survived the asteroid impact that wiped out all non-avian dinosaurs. Across the river from Washington, D.C., sits Potomac Overlook Regional Park.

Is this animal a dinosaur or a bird? Maybe it’s both! A pigeon-size creature perches in a tree in what’s now Germany. Spotting a small reptile on the ground, it launches itself off the branch...

5 days ago · Early birds retained many dinosaur features: claws on their wings, teeth in their jaws, and long tails. Over millions of years, these features began to change. Beaks replaced teeth, making feeding more efficient. Tails shrank, and wings grew stronger, allowing for better flight. One of the most crucial adaptations was the development of hollow ...