Most famously, feathers allowed early birds and related dinosaurs like Microraptor to take to the air. But paleontologists have also found feathers and related structures on many other dinosaurs ...

Like its non-flying close relatives, Microraptor had elongated bones lining the top and underside of its tail, forming a stiff counterbalance that allowed the animal to keep its center of gravity ...

Earlier dinosaurs, common ancestors to both Microraptor and Archaeopteryx, had already formed many of the physiological traits needed for getting airborne, such as feathers and light, hollow bones.

The raptor in question was what is known as a Microraptor; a small feathered dinosaur from the Cretaceous Period. “When you look at their anatomy with the feathers and that speed, what does make ...