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53 N. Macdonald
Mesa, AZ 85201
(One block north of Main Street in downtown Mesa.
Take US 60 or 202 to Country Club Drive, go to Main
Street, and proceed one-half mile east to
Macdonald) -
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Phone:
480-644-2230
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Feathered Dinosaurs and the Origins of Flight

Kids meet Deinonychus

Therizinosaur: The
Ultimate Big Bird
Feathered Dinosaurs and the Origin of Flight ,
an exhibition at the Arizona Museum of Natural
History from March 1 through September 28, presents
exciting evidence from remarkable fossils discovered
in China that are bringing new answers to the
on-going debate about the relationship between
dinosaurs and birds, as well as how they evolved the
ability to fly.
The exhibit is a rare opportunity to see
firsthand a collection of 35 fossils that are
national treasures on loan from the People’s
Republic of China. These fossils reveal a new
understanding of how birds are related to dinosaurs.
Also on display are many life-size recreations that
demonstrate startling changes in how dinosaurs have
been portrayed over the years.
Caudipteryx
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1. Caudipteryx fossil
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2. Caudipteryx
fossil in ultraviolet light |
1. The fossil of Caudipteryx preserved not
only the bones, but also impressions of feathers
from the wings and tail. Caudipteryx was
originally thought of as a small feathered dinosaur,
but it was actually a very primitive bird which had
lost the ability to fly, much like the Ostrich of
today. The Dinosaur Museum © 2004.
2. The skeletal remains in the
fossil of Caudipteryx fluoresce in
ultra-violet light and appear a bright golden color.
The Dinosaur Museum © 2004.

3. Caudipteryx sculpture. The life
restoration of Caudipteryx based on
information from the fossil revealed that it had a
very bird-like appearance. Caudipteryx was
not capable of flying. Sculpture by Stephen Czerkas,
© 2005.
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