Birds are dinosaurs. Because the ancestors of all birds were dinosaurs, living birds still have many dinosaurian characters like feathers, three-fingered hands, modified wrist bones, and incubating eggs on nests. Birds (also referred to as avian dinosaurs by paleontologists) that lived alongside (non-avian) dinosaurs had even more dinosaurian features. Like teeth. Although all toothed birdsContinueContinue reading “Before the dinosaur extinction lived birds with teeth.”
Tag Archives: paleontology
Digging deeper into fossil seabirds from Kansas
Eighty-five million years ago, a seabird called Ichthyornis (which means “fish bird”) lived and died over the ocean that covered Kansas and much of central North America. With well-developed wings, hollow bones, and a body roughly the size and shape of a tern’s, Ichthyornis looked like modern birds and was clearly capable of flying. However,ContinueContinue reading “Digging deeper into fossil seabirds from Kansas”
FHSU Sternberg Museum paleontology on the radio!
Paleontologists and science educators at Fort Hays State University’s Sternberg Museum of Natural History were recently in the news for their contributions to Kansas paleontology. Reporter David Condos of High Plains Public Radio and Kansas New Service wrote a wonderful piece (audio and text) on Kansas paleontology featuring stories and quotes from Curator of PaleontologyContinueContinue reading “FHSU Sternberg Museum paleontology on the radio!”
Are you a Paleo Nerd?
In case you missed it, Dr. Laura Wilson was featured on the popular paleontology podcast Paleo Nerds in Spring 2021. Check out her interview (and the incredible splash page the Paleo Nerds team put together). Laura talks to Ray and Dave about the geology and ecology of the Western Interior Seaway – the ancient oceanContinueContinue reading “Are you a Paleo Nerd?”
Laura E. Wilson, Ph.D. 