Origin of avian flight Origin of avian flight Around 350 BCE, Aristotle and other philosophers of the time attempted to explain the aerodynamics of avian flight. Even after the discovery of the ancestral bird "Archaeopteryx" over 150 years ago, debates still persist regarding the evolution of flight. There are three leading hypotheses pertaining to avian flight: Pouncing Proavis model, Cursorial model, and Arboreal model. "Archaeopteryx", the oldest known ancestor of modern birds, could provide clues to the origin of avian flight. In March 2018, scientists reported that "Archaeopteryx" was likely capable of flight, but in a manner substantially different from that of modern birds.
Specimens of Archaeopteryx first time with six other original fossils of "Archaeopteryx" at the "Munich Mineral Show" in October 2009. A first, quick look by scientists indicates that this specimen might represent a new species of "Archaeopteryx". It was found in a limestone bed that was a few hundred thousand years younger than the other finds. The eighth specimen of "Archaeopteryx" was officially announced in February 1996 at a special exhibition at Bavaria’s Naturkunde Museum. Its director, Matthias Mäuser, made the announcement to a surprised audience that the specimen had already been casted and that this was on display in the exhibit. Few