Discovery of Baminornis zhenghensis - Implications for Avian Evolution

The fossil of a Jurassic bird called Baminornis zhenghensis was discovered in southeastern China, challenging previous beliefs about avian evolution. This quail-sized bird lived around 150 million years ago and had a short tail with advanced aerodynamic features, suggesting it could fly better than the iconic Archaeopteryx. The discovery fills a crucial gap in the fossil record and suggests that avian evolution may have occurred earlier than previously thought.