Question

The images show fossils of a modern bird and two extinct organisms (a Tyrannosaurus rex and an Archaeopteryx). Based on the structure of the three organisms, it can be concluded that . The Archaeopteryx and bird have wings, while dinosaurs have limbs. So, it can be concluded that

Answer 1

Answer:

The Archaeopteryx and bird have wings, while dinosaurs have limbs. This fact does give us an indication that  Archaeopteryx could have been the first bird.

Explanation: While a lot of people consider it as the first bird, paleontologists do not agree with this stance. The discovery of several Archaeopteryx fossils has revealed that although the creature had wings, most of its features were distinctively reptilian. For example, the presence of a full set of teeth. Also, the formation of its wings reveals that it was actually incapable of flying. At the most, it could flap its wings and make a very short upward flight. Scientific analysis of physical characteristics places coelurosaurian theropods as the closest ancestral relatives of Archaeopteryx whereas the presence of wings makes them closely related to the modern-day birds. Thus according to the scientific community, it is safe to believe that  Archaeopteryx was an intermediary between the birds and reptiles; a precursor to the evolution of modern-day birds.