A GIANT pterosaur that lived near the end of the dinosaur age in Romania flew thanks to a puffy skull. Hatzegopteryx had a wingspan of 12 metres, and its heavy-looking skull was a monster 3 metres across, raising questions about how it got off the ground. Now Eric Buffetaut of the CNRS research institute in Paris says the key to its flight was very light bones (Naturwissenschaften, DOI 10.1007/s00114-002-0307-1). Thin bony walls separated empty space in a skull that was “more or less expanded polystyrene”, he says.
To continue reading, today with our introductory offers
Advertisement
More from New ¾«¶«´«Ã½
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Life
Himalayan wolf-dog hybrids emerge as a threat to wolves and people
News
Environment
First test of CO2 removal with green sand finds no harm to marine life
News
Space
SpaceX is about to launch tallest and most powerful rocket in history
News
Environment
Cleaning up air pollution could weaken vital AMOC ocean current
News
Popular articles
Trending New ¾«¶«´«Ã½ articles
1
Why autism pioneer Uta Frith wants to dismantle the spectrum
2
Where did the laws of physics come from? I think I've found the answer
3
A new tectonic plate boundary could be forming in southern Africa
4
Vocal fry is more common in men, actually, find scientists
5
Neanderthals treated a dental cavity by drilling into the tooth
6
SpaceX is about to launch tallest and most powerful rocket in history
7
Himalayan wolf-dog hybrids emerge as a threat to wolves and people
8
Cleaning up air pollution could weaken vital AMOC ocean current
9
CAR T-cell therapy bolstered by stiffening up cancer cells first
10
First test of CO2 removal with green sand finds no harm to marine life
