Eggshell Fossils Suggest That Dinosaurs Were ‘decisively’ Warm-blooded

Eggshell Fossils Suggest That Dinosaurs Were ‘decisively’ Warm-blooded

The never-ending discussion over whether dinosaurs were cold-blooded like modern reptiles or warm-blooded like modern birds have been rejuvenated by a new study. Researchers from Yale University used a new technique to analyze the arrangement of atoms in dinosaur eggshells to conclude that the mothers who carried the eggs had warmer body temperatures than their surrounding environment. The technique “clumped isotope paleothermometry” is based on the fact that temperature determines the order of oxygen and carbon atoms in a fossil eggshell. Knowing this order helped the researchers to determine the mother dinosaur’s body temperature. Researchers believe that the findings would help to shed light on the role of feathers in early bird evolution.

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