Multimedia Gallery
Bird brains predate birds themselves (Image 1)
This computed tomographic (CT) scan shows a modern woodpecker (Melanerpes aurifrons) with its brain cast rendered opaque and the skull transparent.
New research from the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) provides evidence that dinosaurs evolved the brainpower necessary for flight well before they actually took to the air as birds. Based on high-resolution X-ray CT scans, the study takes a comprehensive look at the so-called "bird brain." Contrary to the cliché, the term describes a relatively enlarged brain that has the capacity required for flight and was present in one of the earliest known birds, Archaeopteryx.
The researchers used CT scanners at the University of Texas, Ohio University, Stony Brook University and the museum to peer inside the braincases of more than two dozen specimens, including modern birds, Archaeopteryx and closely related non-avian dinosaurs like tyrannosaurs. By stitching together the CT scans, the scientists created 3-D reconstructions of the skulls' interiors. In addition to calculating the total volume of each digital brain cast, the research team also determined the size of each brain's major anatomical regions, including the olfactory bulbs, cerebrum, optic lobes, cerebellum and brain stem.
The scientists revealed that at least a few non-avian dinosaurs had brains that were as large or larger than that of Archaeopteryx, indicating that some dinosaurs already suspected of possessing flight capability would have had the neurological hardwiring necessary for this behavior.
Funding for this work was provided in part by a National Science Foundation (NSF) Doctoral Dissertation and Improvement Grant (DEB 09-09970), by NSF's Division of Information and Intelligent Systems (grant IIS 02-08675), and by NSF's Division of Earth Sciences (grant EAR 09-48842).
To learn more, see the NSF News From the Field story Bird brains predate birds themselves. (Date image taken: 2013; date originally posted to NSF Multimedia Gallery: Nov. 10, 2015) [Image 1 of 3 related images. See Image 2.]
Credit: ©AMNH/A. Balanoff
Images and other media in the National Science Foundation Multimedia Gallery are available for use in print and electronic material by NSF employees, members of the media, university staff, teachers and the general public. All media in the gallery are intended for personal, educational and nonprofit/non-commercial use only.
Images credited to the National Science Foundation, a federal agency, are in the public domain. The images were created by employees of the United States Government as part of their official duties or prepared by contractors as "works for hire" for NSF. You may freely use NSF-credited images and, at your discretion, credit NSF with a "Courtesy: National Science Foundation" notation.
Additional information about general usage can be found in Conditions.
Also Available:
Download the high-resolution JPG version of the image. (648 KB)
Use your mouse to right-click (Mac users may need to Ctrl-click) the link above and choose the option that will save the file or target to your computer.