Archaeoraptor Disaster
Each fossil record discovery has a unique story, and the Archaeoraptor composite is an exceptional example. In November 1999, a feature article in National Geographic titled “Feathers for T. Rex?” emerged as one of the most spectacular disasters in the history of paleontology. Archaeoraptor disaster rivals the Piltdown Man saga, alleging –
“A true missing link in the complex chain that connects dinosaurs to birds.”
The Archaeoraptor storyline began in 1997 in northeastern Liaoning Province, China, following its discovery by farmers (pictured above). At the time, the fossil appeared to have a bird’s body with small, terrestrial dinosaur’s teeth and tail. The name given, Archaeoraptor liaoningensis, was in recognition of its discovery site.
