Ancient Amber Unveils Dinosaur Survival Clue through Preserved Bird Feathers

Bird feathers preserved in amber from 99 million years ago provide evidence that molting played a role in the extinction of some early bird ancestors. The feathers, found in Myanmar, belong to a bird species called Enantiornithine, which was one of the few types of dinosaurs to survive the asteroid strike that wiped out non-avian dinosaurs. The research suggests that the need to keep warm during rapid shedding may have contributed to the species' ultimate demise. Molting is a crucial process for birds, and understanding its evolution and impact on bird survival can shed light on the extinction of different dinosaur groups.