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Chicago Researchers Uncover New Details of Smallest Archaeopteryx

3/25/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Field Museum researchers studied the Chicago Archaeopteryx, a fossil linking birds and dinosaurs.
Discovered in Germany, the specimen is the smallest known Archaeopteryx, about the size of a pigeon.
CT scanning and UV lighting revealed unprecedented details of its anatomy, including flight-related features.
The study, published in Nature, underscores the ongoing value of Archaeopteryx for avian evolution.

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Story summary

Field Museum researchers studied the Chicago Archaeopteryx, a fossil linking birds and dinosaurs.
Discovered in Germany, the specimen is the smallest known Archaeopteryx, about the size of a pigeon.
CT scanning and UV lighting revealed unprecedented details of its anatomy, including flight-related features.
The study, published in Nature, underscores the ongoing value of Archaeopteryx for avian evolution.