Giant Pterosaurs Could Fly 10,000 Miles Nonstop
Large pterosaurs may have been the frequent-flier champions of the
dinosaur age, capable of soaring up to 10,000 miles at a stretch,
scientists say.
Currently paleontologists know of four species of giant pterosaur, some
of
which were as tall as giraffes and had wingspans of more than 30 feet.
The huge animals likely relied on updrafts of warm air and wind currents
to achieve their record distances, said study co-author Michael Habib, a
paleontologist at Chatham University in Pittsburgh.
"They probably only flapped for a few minutes at a time ... and then
their
muscles had to recover," he said. "In between, they're going to use
unpowered flight" and glide. Even so, the winged reptiles would have
needed to
burn about 160 pounds worth of fat reserves per trip, Habib said.
Read more:
http://ow.ly/2VNcS
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