Carl Zimmer: How did feathers evolve?

How did feathers evolve?

To look at the evolution of modern bird feathers, we must start a long time ago, with the dinosaurs from whence they came. We see early incarnations of feathers on dinosaur fossils, and remnants of dinosaurs in a bird's wish bone. Carl Zimmer explores the stages of evolution and how even the reasons for feathers have evolved over millions of years. [Directed by Armella Leung, narrated by Carl Zimmer].

Feathers emerged millions of years before birds first took flight, starting as simple wire-like structures on dinosaurs. Fossil discoveries reveal dinosaurs with vibrant feathers, some as small as pigeons and others as large as school buses. These early feathers served many functions beyond flight, from display to camouflage. Only after a long evolutionary journey did feathers become the powerful tools for flight seen in modern birds.