Researchers found that birds and non-avian dinosaurs had similar brain sizes before the mass extinction, but after, some bird families evolved large-brained birds by shrinking body size. Parrots and corvids, including crows, showed exceptional cognitive capacity and rapid brain evolution.
A new open-source resource, Fossil Calibration Database, provides carefully vetted fossil data to calibrate molecular clocks and reveal the ages of plant and animal groups. The database addresses the issue of improper use of fossil record data in 'divergence dating,' a field crucial for understanding biodiversity origins.
The fossilized remains of Pelagornis sandersi, an extinct giant bird, have been identified as having the largest wingspan of any bird to have lived. The species is estimated to have traveled long distances across ocean waters in search of prey.