== Fjerede dinosaurer og fuglenes afstamning ==
{{Uddybende|Fuglenes oprindelse}}
Der er i de senere år (siden [[1990'erne]]) blevet fundet en del fjerede dinosaurer, måske et klart bevis for en forbindelse mellem dinosaurer og fugle.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1858000/1858574.stm |title=BBCNews, 6 March, 2002, 'Modern' feathers found on Chinese dino |access-date= 5. september 2003 |archive-date= 3. juni 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020603055357/http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1858000/1858574.stm |url-status=ok }}</ref><ref name="dinohunters">[http://www.dinohunters.com/History/Microraptor.htm dinohunters.com: Microraptor] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090609233421/http://www.dinohunters.com/History/Microraptor.htm |date= 9. juni 2009 }} Citat: "...Microraptor zhaoianus...The discovery of a 130-million-year-old fossil of a feathered dinosaur provides dramatic evidence that birds evolved from the ancient reptiles, according to new research...Theropod dinosaurs and birds share about 100 anatomical features, including a wishbone, swiveling wrists and three forward-pointing toes. Norell said dromaeosaurs were theropod dinosaurs thought to be most closely related to birds..."</ref>
De fleste af disse fund er fra [[Kina]], hvor fundsteder med de nødvendige omstændigheder til bevaring af [[fjer]]- og hud[[aftryk]] findes. Andre former synes at have en nopret hud med hårlignende strukturer.
Geologi