Are the modern birds we all see in the sky or in our gardens older than we thought? Strange footprints found by researchers in Africa are causing trouble…
The birds we know today may have had similarities with dinosaurs much earlier than we imagined… 
Anthony Kaczmarek 07/12/2023 11:00 4 min
From When Date the appearance of the first modern birds, as we know it today? The scientific consensus continues to evolve Discovery by researchers in Africa: Footprints or prints similar to those of birds are in fact the object of all desire…
Three fingerprints
A study published in the journal Plos One reveals this amazing discovery by researchers Lesothoin Africa, a few years ago: mysterious footprints that are around 210 million years old and strangely similar to those ofBirds.
120-million-year-old footprints are the oldest known evidence of birds from southern regions, says Anthony Martin @EmoryUniversity and colleagues
@PLUS ONE Paper: https://t.co/olwXL8IPN6
@Guardian Article: https://t.co/845NwVObsc
@LiveScience Article: https://t.co/fVNAPk5L6G– PLUS ONE (@PLOSONE) November 30, 2023
Very surprising if we know thatIt is estimated that the oldest ancestors of birds are only 60 million years old. These prints have recently been the subject of further research by paleontologistshence the publication of this study last November after several years of debate and doubt.
The two types of print analyzed by the researchers are among the Category Trisauropodiscus, in other words Three-toed footprints, like those of birds. However, the first type of footprint appears to correspond to a dinosaur because the feet are significantly longer and the toes are closer together. However, this is not the case other prints.
Which common ancestor?
The latter actually raises questions, because they are smaller and wider than they are tallAnd therefore look much more like bird prints we know that today. Could dinosaurs and birds share features that are much older than previously thought? Without doubt…
This study shows that birds may be much older than previously thought https://t.co/tOnGNjB0l4 pic.twitter.com/Ey1yksXU4P
— 20 Minutes Planet (@20minutesplanet) December 6, 2023
In any case, this mysterious footprint could play a role the footprint of an ancestor of modern birds. The paleontologists also explain in their study that this proves the fact that these footprints are comparable to those of modern birds “The origin of bird-like foot morphology dates back at least 210 million years”.
SO What animal do these prints belong to?, those mysterious footprints? Researchers don’t know this yet. It could be a common ancestor of birds and crocodiles. a type of three-toed archosaur. But the tension remains and we will certainly no longer look at birds the same way…