Feather Evolution and Human Family Tree Revealed by Ancient Proteins and Fossilized DNA from Hyena Droppings

The composition of keratin in feathers may be a small part of understanding how flight evolved, according to ScienceNews. Ancient proteins have revealed new insights into the human family tree, as shared by ChrisStringer65. Fossilized hyena droppings have allowed paleontologists to reconstruct DNA from an ice-age woolly rhino, as reported by Nature. A study suggests that fossilization can cause one feather protein to resemble another, raising questions about how to interpret the evolutionary record, says ScienceNews. NatGeo highlights the story of feathers as a window into the science of evolution.