Incredible Anchiornis pictures reveal what dinosaur that lived 160 million years ago really looked like
Scientists used laser-stimulated fluorescence imaging to sketch image of mysterious feathered beast that had drumstick-like legs
SCIENTISTS have brought to life a dinosaur that walked the Earth 160 million years ago in incredible pictures.
The feathered Anchiornis, which had drumstick-shaped legs similar to modern birds, could shed light on the origin of flight.
Palaeontologists used high power lasers to reveal the make-up of its muscles.
They applied laser-stimulated fluorescence imaging to fossils, a technique that reveals soft tissue details that are unseen under visible light.
The method involves sweeping laser light across the object while taking long-exposure photos with a camera.
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Michael Pittman of the University of Hong Kong said the study, which was published in Nature Communications, was a landmark in our understanding of the origins of birds.
"In this study, what we've done is we've used high-powered lasers to reveal unseen soft tissues preserved alongside the bones of a feathered dinosaur called Anchiornis," he said.
The creature lived in China during the late Jurassic Period, when birds are first believed to have appeared.
It stood apart with its feathers and black and white stripes, with a distinctive orange crest on the crown of its head.
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