First Flying Dinosaurs Had Biplane Structure

unchiujar writes to mention a BBC article about the design of the first flying dinosaurs. These possible early ancestors of avians apparently resembled biplanes in many ways, with legs hanging down in a fashion similar to WWI fighters. The researchers who made this discovery use this to argue the 'trees down' model of flight evolution, but the article points out this design may possibly be a failed evolutionary experiment. From the article: "Dr Chatterjee, from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, US, explained that two lines of evidence had led the team to this conclusion. Firstly, the researchers argue, dinosaurs and birds move their legs in a vertical plane, not sideways as the tandem flight pattern requires. Secondly, the feathers on Microraptor's hind legs are asymmetrical; one of the two vanes that extend either side of the shaft is narrower than the other. Aerodynamically, the narrow leading edge of these feathers should face forward in flight, against the direction of airflow. This would have given the flying reptiles lift. "

Comments

Flamewar in 3. . .2. . .1

[aquatone282]

Anybody care to explain how chance/chaos/whatever can explain how complex systems like these flying dinosaurs evolved and adapted to meet the needs of their envrionment?

Anyone? Bueller? Anyone?

Re:Not designed properly

[WheelDweller]

No, I don't think you understand; this is a book written thousands of years before Einstien, and came to the same conclusion as him. It listed the growth stages of plants, which only in the last 100 years or so has shown to be right. It talks about how "the heavens opened" to create a flood mentioned by something like 110 civilizations...and if the magnetic poles changed [see current speculations] the Van Allen belts would temporarily collapse...causing the hydrogen and hydrogen ions to come in contact with the atmosphere's oxygen, tada, instant massive flood.

I know the media and the culture tell you it's all myths and stories, but can you, scientifically, deny that this document is *at*least* worth going to that website and learning more? (http://DoesGodExist.com)