Around 67 million years ago, during the Cretaceous era, an F-16-size species of dinosaur called Quetzalcoatlus flew through the skies above what is now Texas. In a study presented on Nov. 7 to the Geological Society of America, scientists demonstrated how they believe the largest flying creature in history was able to take off and land.
Fossils found near Big Bend National Park in Texas provide the clues. With a wingspan of around 34 feet, the Quetzalcoatlus stood as tall as a giraffe on its four legs. But front and hind legs were connected by a winglike membrane, and the forelegs also incorporated additional wing “panels” that unfolded for flight. The mystery was how it was able to launch, since there were no cliffs or promontories in the then-forested area from which to get a leaping start. Scientists theorize that the 155-pound, hollow-boned Quetzalcoatlus would race along a “runway” – a long stretch of open ground that sloped downward toward a lake or riverbed.
