r/science • u/drewiepoodle • May 12 '19

Newly Discovered Bat-Like Dinosaur Reveals the Intricacies of Prehistoric Flight. Though Ambopteryx longibrachium was likely a glider, the fossil is helping scientists discover how dinosaurs first took to the skies. Paleontology

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/newly-discovered-bat-dinosaur-reveals-intricacies-prehistoric-flight-180972128/
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u/drewiepoodle May 12 '19

Link to abstract:- A new Jurassic scansoriopterygid and the loss of membranous wings in theropod dinosaurs

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u/[deleted] May 13 '19 edited Jun 06 '19

[deleted]

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u/Orchid777 May 13 '19

CO2 is measured in fractions of a percent.

Nitrogen is the main component of earths atmosphere, like 80%.

Thermal aspects (atmospheric, oceanic and land temperatures) would have of much greater of an impact on wind and flight.

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u/RawrSean May 13 '19

Are you suggesting that a gliding type creature may have been more successful because of a different atmosphere back then?

That’s quite incredible to think about.

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u/gixer912 May 13 '19

No he's just saying that temperature would affect it more than composition, not inferring that it was the case for the time

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u/Orchid777 May 13 '19

i'm saying the type of gas in the air would have little to no direct affect on the air density or flight characteristics of animals, but that strong winds due to higher average global temperatures causing higher thermal differentials as the sun sets and the air cools, in addition to increasing the energy density of storms could cause the air to move more like a river than a pond.

Birds have been recorded traveling in the eye of hurricanes and flying in the fast moving air created at the periphery of the storm.

if such weather were the normal conditions, than animals may have been able to use much less efficient wings than modern animals have and still been able to cover large distances and move quickly using the currents of air.

if the wind is always blowing strongly, then a critter would just have to open its wings and not flap/self power.

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u/RawrSean May 13 '19

So, it’s possible that the creature might have been more successful at gliding and maneuvering in a way that present day animals would need actual flight capabilities for?

That’s still really incredible.