In a historic find, the tail of a 99 million year old dinosaur is seen intact and perfectly preserved in amber; including bones, soft tissue, and feathers. The finding was reported in the latest issue of the science journal, Current Biology.
According to National Geographic, ‘this marks the first time scientists have been 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.’ [source]
The amber sample was discovered in a mine in the Hukawng Valley of northern Myanmar. Amber from this region is believed to contain the world’s largest variety of animal and plant life from the Cretaceous period.
The research, led by paleontologist Lida Xing of the China University of Geosciences, was funded in part by the National Geographic Society’s Expeditions Council. You can read the full story on this fascinating discovery on National Geographic.
