Field Museum acquires fossil of earliest known bird

Posted on May 8, 2024
Only a dozen other Archaeopteryx specimens have been found with most of them in Europe. (Photo courtesy of the Field Museum of Chicago)

By WMBD-TV

CHICAGO – The Field Museum unveiled its acquisition Monday of a fossil showing the earliest known bird species — Archaeopteryx.

Only a dozen other Archaeopteryx specimens have been found with most of them in Europe.

“Archaeopteryx is arguably the most important fossil ever discovered. It transformed how scientists see the world, by providing strong support for Darwin’s theory of evolution,” said Field Museum President and CEO Julian Siggers. “This is the Field Museum’s most significant fossil acquisition since SUE the T. rex, and we’re thrilled to be able to study ‘the Chicago Archaeopteryx’ and to share it with our visitors.”

Courtesy Field Museum

The fossil will go on display to the public on Tuesday. It was unearthed by quarry workers in 1990 and has been in the hands of private collectors ever since.

The fossil arrived at the museum in Aug. 2022 and staff have been busy working on it since.

“When the specimen arrived, it was still unprepared, meaning that most of the skeleton was obscured by a top layer of rock. We weren’t sure how complete it was—when we X-rayed the fossil slab and saw that the fossil inside was nearly 100% complete, we cheered,” said the Field’s associate curator of fossil reptiles Jingmai O’Connor.

  • Courtesy Field Museum
  • Courtesy Field Museum
  • Courtesy Field Museum
  • Courtesy Field Museum
  • Courtesy Field Museum

Following the Field’s Dinopalooza celebration on Saturday, June 8, the fossil will be removed from view in preparation for its permanent exhibition in a large immersive display opening in Fall 2024.

WMBD-TV can be reached at [email protected].

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