The long history of birds, from velociraptors to pigeons
4/28/202622 min
Comparing a backyard sparrow to a fearsome velociraptor seems odd, but modern birds are indeed living dinosaurs. Scientists are finding more and more connections between the past physiology of dinos and the present physiology of birds.
Joining Ira Flatow to talk about some forgotten species from the past tens of millions of years—think gorilla-sized penguins—is Steve Brusatte, paleontologist and author of “The Story of Birds: A New History from their Dinosaur Origins to the Present.”
Read an excerpt from “The Story of Birds”
Guest:
Dr. Steve Brusatte is a paleontologist and author of “The Story of Birds: A New History from their Dinosaur Origins to the Present.” He’s based in Edinburgh, Scotland.
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Ira Flatow· Host0:59
[upbeat music] Hey, it's Ira Flatow, and you're listening to Science Friday. Birds are dinosaurs. It's something we hear a lot from experts, especially if you listen to this show. But you've got to admit that looking at a backyard sparrow does not quite evoke the same awe as the dino bones in the museum do, right? Well, my next guest urges you to just get over it, rethink birds, and give them the same credit