Put a little color on that dinosaur

Did you think Jurassic Park was a work of fiction? Scientists from China and Great Britain have taken a major leap in enhancing our knowledge of dinosaurs. Through meticulous analysis, they have determined that the tiny Sinosauropteryx was orange with white stripes. It also had feathers.

The Sinosauropteryx was a carnivorous two-legged dinosaur. It is often referred to as a prehistoric bird. On average, they were between two and three feet in length. Like the Tyrannosaurus Rex, the Sinosauropteryx had a large head and small arms.

Sometimes, pieces of skin and possibly feathers are found partially preserved in fossils. There is a debate in the scientific community as to whether or not the fossils contain collagen fibers or feathers.

The process of determining a dinosaurs color revolves around the examination of the dinosaurs feathers. Scientists compared the Sinosauropteryx’s feathers to those of modern birds. On a microscopic level, the feathers share common characteristics.

While studying a fossilized squid in 2006, Jacob Vinther discovered tiny sacs in the fossils similar to melanosomes. Melanosomes are pigment-filled formations that create color in animals. The scientists in China and Great Britain have taken Vinther’s discovery and applied it to the feathers found in dinosaurs.