Story perspectives

Discovering the Essential Role of Filoplume Feathers

1/20/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Dr. Vanya Gregor Rohwer of the Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates showcased a roseate spoonbill wing to highlight the filoplume feather.
The filoplume, once overlooked, is now recognized for helping maintain feathers and enabling flight.
Rohwer and his father, Sievert Rohwer, note that feathers evolved about 150 million years ago.
A study in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface describes feathers as complex structures beyond current 3-D printing.

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Story summary

Dr. Vanya Gregor Rohwer of the Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates showcased a roseate spoonbill wing to highlight the filoplume feather.
The filoplume, once overlooked, is now recognized for helping maintain feathers and enabling flight.
Rohwer and his father, Sievert Rohwer, note that feathers evolved about 150 million years ago.
A study in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface describes feathers as complex structures beyond current 3-D printing.