. 24/7 Space News .
EARLY EARTH
Winged flight may be an accident of evolution
by Brooks Hays
Kingston, Ontario (UPI) Jul 18, 2016


disclaimer: image is for illustration purposes only

New research undermines the ways scientists have previously attempted to explain the evolution of flight. Wings may have evolved for purposes other than flight, argues researcher Alexander Dececchi.

In other words, winged-flight may be an accident of evolution -- an evolutionary byproduct.

"By disproving the idea that the predicted models led to the development of flight, our research is a step towards determining how flight developed and whether it can evolve once or developed multiple times in different evolutionary lines," Dececchi, a post-doctoral fellow at Queen's University, said in a news release.

One of the most popular explanations for the evolutionary origins of flight is wing-assisted incline running, whereby bird-like dinosaurs and early flightless birds used wings to run up trees and cliffs to escape predators.

To test the potential for flight among early winged species, researchers analyzed the body mass and wing size of 45 specimens from 24 different non-avian theropod species, plus five early bird species. With modern birds as comparative models, researchers used the two anatomical indicators to estimate each specimen's potential wing beat, flap angle and muscular output.

"We know the dimensions and we know how modern birds muscles and anatomy work," Dececchi said. "Using our model, if a particular species doesn't reach the minimum thresholds for function seen in the much more derived birds -- such as the ability to take off or to generate a certain amount of power -- it's safe to say they would not have been able to perform these behaviors or fly."

Researchers found that wing-assisted incline running was not associated with the anatomical thresholds necessary for the evolution of flight, nor did the behavior predict an improved chance of survival.

Signaling or sexual selection may offer a better explanation for the evolution of wings prior to their use for flight, Dececchi argued in his new paper on the subject -- published this week in the journal PeerJ.

The new research also suggests disparate species -- separated by millions of years and thousands of miles -- may have independently happened upon winged flight. The adaptation may have evolved and died out many times over.

"There is some evidence that they evolved in parallel -- there may be some differences in the details between how each taxon flew, but they tend to converge on these same answers," concluded Dececchi. "That, to me, is one of the most exciting questions that has come out of the past few decades of work in theropods."


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
Explore The Early Earth at TerraDaily.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

Previous Report
EARLY EARTH
Study reveals origins of the turtle shell
Denver (UPI) Jul 15, 2016
No other animal grows armor quite like the turtle. Despite its obvious protective benefits, new research suggests the adaptation was originally adopted for burrowing. "Why the turtle shell evolved is a very Dr. Seuss-like question and the answer seems pretty obvious - it was for protection," Tyler Lyson, a paleontologist with the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, said in a news rele ... read more


EARLY EARTH
SSTL and Goonhilly announce partnership and a call for lunar orbit payloads

Taiwan to make lunar lander for NASA moon-mining mission

NASA camera catches moon 'photobombing' Earth

Russia to spend $60M in 2016-2018 to fund space voyages to Moon, Mars

EARLY EARTH
NASA Selects Five Mars Orbiter Concept Studies

Next Mars Rover Progresses Toward 2020 Launch

Mars Canyons Study Adds Clues about Possible Water

Curiosity Mars Rover Enters Precautionary Safe Mode

EARLY EARTH
NASA Sails Full-Speed Ahead in Solar System Exploration

Disney theme park in Shanghai nears a million visitors

Sensor Technology Could Revolutionize What You Sleep On

Return to light for underground astronauts

EARLY EARTH
Dutch Radio Antenna to Depart for Moon on Chinese Mission

Chinese Space Garbageman is not a Weapon

China to launch its largest carrier rocket later this year

China committed to peaceful use of outer space

EARLY EARTH
Russia launches ISS-bound cargo ship

New Crew Members, Including NASA Biologist, Launch to Space Station

Russian New Soyuz-MS Spacecraft Docks With ISS for First Time

NASA Highlights Space Station Research Benefits, Opportunities at San Diego Conference

EARLY EARTH
SpaceX propels cargo to space station, lands rocket

SpaceX to launch key 'parking spot' to space station

Russia to Continue Rocket Engine Supplies to US Under Existing Contracts

India launches 20 satellites in single mission

EARLY EARTH
Behind the scenes of protostellar disk formation

Surface Composition Determines Planet's Temperature and Habitability

Gemini Observatory Instrumental in Latest Exoplanet Harvest

Warm Jupiters Not as Lonely as Expected

EARLY EARTH
New record in microwave detection

'Green' electronic materials produced with synthetic biology

Exploring superconducting properties of 3-D printed parts

Learning from the mussel, scientists create a biologically active titanium surface









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.