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To scientists' delight, the incredible appendage from 99 million years ago is covered in feathers.

The tail of a 99-million-year-old dinosaur, including bones, soft tissue, and even feathers, has been found preserved in amber, according to a report published today in the journal Current Biology.

A micro-CT scan of the delicate feathers that cover the dinosaur tail. Image: Lida Xing.

While individual dinosaur-era feathers have been found in amber, and evidence for feathered dinosaurs is captured in fossil impressions, this is the first time that scientists are able to clearly associate well-preserved feathers with a dinosaur, and in turn gain a better understanding of the evolution and structure of dinosaur feathers.

We clearly need a new Jurassic Park movie featuring cute feathery dinosaurs.

A reconstruction of a small coelurosaur Credit: Chung-tat Cheung

thesnadger

Okay this is really really cool BUT IT IS CRIMINAL to leave out the funniest part of this story.

The paleontologist who “discovered” this sample didn’t dig it up, he and his team found it in an amber market where the amber it was preserved in had been shaped and was being sold as jewelry. This is both ridiculous and exciting though, because on one hand it’s a shame this sample was cut and shaped before anyone who knew what it was could get their hands on it, it also gives us an idea of how many other samples might be in that particular amber mine.

Also this amazing quote from Xing:

“I was not sure that (the trader) really understood how important this specimen was, but he did not raise the price.”

#paleo

gmbencompetence

According to the song Seasons of Love from RENT, there are 525,600 minutes a year.

One line later, there are “525,000 Moments so dear”.

So, doing the math, we can glean that there are 600 moments which aren’t so dear.

And I think I just used one of them by walking in on my boss who forgot to lock the bathroom stall.

therothwoman

this post did not even remotely go in the direction I was expecting it to

memewhore

limew1re

Four score and seven beers ago

nyctosaurid

vampires always like “i could kill you if I wanted” like? yeah? so could another human being. so could a dog. so could a dedicated duck. you arent special

by Sarah Andersen

#i do this all the fucking time

soulmeme

foxily

psa: bloggers aren’t required to list their mental illnesses, disabilities, sexual orientations, or any personal details that they don’t want to share. we need to stop acting like we’re entitled to all the bits and pieces of other strangers’ lives.

goatfrog

wake me up (before you go go) can’t wake up (before you go go) save me (don’t leave me hanging on like a yo yo)

angelicravens

This is decidedly one of the hardest things to sing in your head.

me: please, for the love of god, let me concentrate

my shit brain: taaaaake ooooon meeee, TAKE ON ME, TAAAAKE MEEE OOOOOON

#yes

394938347342-deactivated2014092

imagine having sex with a ghost and then someone walks into your room and they see your asshole widening and narrowing for no reason

pussyjizz-blog

imagine praying to God and going to church

fag

do you ever reread a post over 5 times and still don’t get it

#yes

officialunitedstates

FACT OF THE DAY: the reason why you can’t dig a hole through the earth and come up on the other side is because your shovel would melt. that’s it. that’s the only reason.