New 'Rainbow' Dinosaur May Have Sparkled Like a Hummingbird
A new dinosaur discovered in China had feathers that may have glittered with the colors of the rainbow. Based on its stunningly preserved remains, scientists say the dinosaur’s head and chest seem to have been covered with iridescent feathers akin to those on modern hummingbirds.
The flashy display may have provided a social or sexual cue, like modern peacock tails. The dinosaur also has a bird-like body, including the sorts of feathers required for flight, but it has a crested head that more closely resembles that of a Velociraptor.
Given these traits, the ancient animal has been named Caihong juji—Mandarin for “rainbow with the big crest”—the team reports today in the journal Nature Communications...
(via impomaniac)