Scientists have recently completed the first-ever chemical analysis of feathers from the "dinobird" and found that they were light in color and had a dark edge around the feather, contrary to previous beliefs.
The University of Manchester team looked at the 150-million year old Archaeopteryx fossil, and was able to "dilute traces of plumage pigments." The study found the feathers were patterned, and not completely dark as was previously thought.
The fossil is a well-known link in the evolution between dinosaurs and birds.
"This is a big leap forward in our understanding of the evolution of plumage and also the preservation of feathers," Dr. Phil Manning, a paleontologist at The University of Manchester said in the study.
There are very few examples of the Archaeopteryx, only 11 fossils have been found, one of which was only a single fossilized feather. Scientists previously believed it would be impossible to find any bone or tissue samples from the specimens, as they would have most likely been replaced with minerals.
Two new methods have finally allowed scientists to look into details about what the ancient dinosaur-bird hybrid's feathers actually looked like.
The first method that allowed for the new research comes from the discovery of melanosomes, which are microscopic "biological paint pot structures" where the pigment was originally made. Scientists have been able to examine these structures in a choice few fossilized feathers.
Scientists examined the "dinobird's" melanosomes in the past and determined that they were primarily black. The new research claimed that this study was faulty because they did not examine the entire feather.
The second method the researchers used was developed by members of the SLAC's Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL) in the U.S. It's a new process that allows researchers to analyze the chemistry of the entire fossil using an X-ray beam.
The Manchester team used this method to examine chemical traces that were left over in the Archaeoptery's bones and feathers in order to recreate what the ancient bird looked like.
In recent scans the research team was able to identify trace-metals and organic sulphur compounds that came from the bird's original feathers.
"The fact that these compounds have been preserved in-place for 150 million years is extraordinary," said Dr. Manning. "Together, these chemical traces show that the feather was light in color with areas of darker pigment along one edge and on the tip. Scans of a second fossilized Archaeopteryx, known as the Berlin counterpart, also show that the trace-metal inventory supported the same plumage pigmentation pattern."
Identifying the pigment in these feathers is one of the first steps in discovering details about the birds such as their reproduction and eating habits, environment, and evolution.
"It is remarkable that x-rays brighter than a million suns can shed new light on our understanding of the processes that have locked elements in place for such vast periods of time," Dr. Manning said. "Ultimately, this research might help inform scientists on the mechanisms acting during long-term burial, from animal remains to hazardous waste. The fossil record has potential to provide the experimental hindsight required in such studies."
