Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Fossil of Largest Bird with 23 Foot Wingspan Found

Scientists have identified the fossilized remains of a bird that, with a wingspan of more than 7 meters (23 feet), could have been the largest bird that ever existed on Earth, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reported. The remains were found in 1983 in South Carolina by Charleston Museum volunteer James Malcom during excavations directed by Albert Sanders for a new terminal at the international airport of that city. The creature, named by scientists as Pelagornis sandersi, was undoubtedly an extremely efficient glider with long, slim wings that helped it remain in the air despite its size, researchers said. The species was so big - twice as large as the royal albatross, the largest living flying bird - that researchers had to dig up its remains with a power shovel.



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