The lungs of Urgamla were like new

Chinese scientists have discovered a bird fossil 120 million years old and whose lungs have been preserved. The discovery reveals that the first birds already had lungs as effective as modern birds.

The fossil, which belongs to the primitive species Archaeorhynchus spathula, is extremely well preserved. Feathers and some of the internal tissues and organs – including the lungs – are visible on the specimen.

Archaeorhynchus was one of the first species of the lineage that gave birth to all modern birds – but until now, it was not known if their lungs were as high as those of eagles and thugs of our days.

This was crucial for the skill of the qualified pilots that they were. Modern birds have an extremely poor respiratory system – much more efficient than the mammal's lungs – allowing them to fly high without being fatigued.

Modern breathing

The new discovery, described in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reveals that the system already existed at Archaorhynchus.

Unlike mammals, birds only breathe in one direction and their volume is three times higher because of the presence of airbags.

According to electron microscopic analyzes, Archaeorhynchus had similar structures, suggesting that it could fly with a rate of oxygen turnover as high as that of current species.

Inheritance of dinosaurs?

The strange thing is that despite the modern respirator, the species had a relatively primitive skeleton. Obviously, the first lungs developed and other anatomical details much later.

The question now is how old is the bird system? The birds come from small predators. Did the entire respiratory system inhale them or did it develop as the aircraft occurred? Nobody knows. But the day you find a dinosaur fossil with preserved lungs, the question can be solved.

October 22, 2018 7:00 p.m.