Archaeopteryx

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Archaeopteryx
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Several fossils like this were found in southern
Germany about 150 years ago.They were named
Archaeopteryx. These fossils possessed
characteristics of both reptiles and birds.
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This Is Thought To Be the Appearance of the
Fossil
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Scientists who study only birds (ornithologists)
think this is a true bird while others maintain
it is transitional between a dinosaur and a bird.
It is thought to be a missing link.
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Think CriticallyThere are major differences
between the reptile and bird. Are changes in
the DNA necessary to accomplish the differences
between the reptile and bird outlined by the
following slides? If so, how could this have
come about?
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1. The upper torso of an upright walking dinosaur
is one of the weakest parts of its body. The
upper limbs of Archaeopteryx are very highly
developed. What does it take to make weak
dinosaur upper legs into the strongest and most
highly developed upper limbs of a bird?
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2. The scales of a dinosaur are folds in the skin
and appear as one large sheet as is evidenced by
the shed skin of a snake. Archaeopteryx has
feathers. Feathers grow individually out of
follicles. Flight feathers have tiny barbs
similar to that of Velcro. How can the DNA be
changed by random chance happenings to accomplish
this?
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3. Only the lower jaw of a dinosaur moves. Both
the upper and lower jaws of Archaeopteryx move
just as all bird jaws do. What has to be done
to make both jaws move?
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4. The feet of a dinosaur are adapted for
walking. Archaeopteryx has grasping type of feet
similar to that of a bird. What has to be done
to a dinosaur foot to make it useful for
grasping?
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5. The lungs of dinosaurs operate on a bellows
principle. Evidence is that Archaeopteryx has
bird-like lungs which operate on an entirely
different principle. How is this change
accomplished by random chance happenings?
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Think CriticallySince mutations and natural
selection do not provide additional coherent
information but may destroy it, how could a
reptile turn into a bird?
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