The discovery of the first Archaeopteryx fossil in 1860 was a pivotal moment for both biology and geology. It showed a transitional creature, a link between dinosaur and birds, confirming what many scientists were already starting to support: that birds evolved from lizards. This 150-million-year-old creature fits like a charm into these theories and is still crucial for our understanding of evolution.
But just before Archaeopteryx was discovered, a single, elusive, fossilized feather was uncovered. To this day, this is the oldest feather we’ve ever discovered. This feather was thought to belong to an Archaeopteryx and even used to name this creature — but it might not have belonged to Archaeopteryx at all.
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