Re: ROM Feathered Dinosaur Confusion

[Tim Williams <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

Mike Taylor wrote:

>         Mark, my words, next year there will be findings from
>         somewhere else that support the conservative ROM
>         paleontologists over Mr. Czerkas.
>
> In other words, the dinosaur origin of birds is now regarded iun the
> mainstream news as a "conservative" interpretation.

I'm not sure that the word "conservative" is appropriate in this context, 
but it sure beats the term that Czerkas himself applied to the "dinosaur 
origin of birds" hypothesis: "politically correct".  Yuck.

Things have certainly changed since the 1960's and 70's when Ostrom's 
"birds-from-theropods" hypothesis was regarded as "radical".  Back then, the 
idea that birds evolved directly from thecodonts was in full swing.  
Ironically, Czerkas's contention that birds (and other maniraptorans) 
originated from an undefined non-dinosaurian ancestor is more reminiscent of 
the "birds-from-thecodonts" hypothesis that Ostrom was arguing against!  
Reminds me of that not-so-old expression: Those that do not read the 
literature are doomed to repeat it.


Cheers

Tim