恐龙行星（2011）

体长八米 重约一点五吨♥
eight metres long and weighing around 1.5 tonnes.
从它的骨骼我们知道
From its bones, we know
它比同属的窃蛋龙大了三十五倍
it was 35 times bigger than its closest Oviraptorid relatives.
但是这庞然大物还没有成长完全
And yet this giant wasn't even fully grown.
有点"以为鼠小 鼠比牛大"的意思
it was "like finding a mouse the size of a cow".
我们不确定
We don't know for sure
像巨盗龙这样的庞然大物
if such a huge dinosaur like Gigantoraptor
是否会有羽毛
would have or need feathers.
恐龙的羽毛都完好的覆盖身体
In dinosaurs, feathers are usually found as a fine body covering
来获得保密暖的作用
and appear to be mainly for keeping warm.
但是在巨盗龙的近亲的化石上
But feathers were found, and preserved on a fossil
却发现了羽毛
of one of Gigantoraptor's close relatives.
在它的前臂和尾部发现了确切的
And on the forearms and tail are the unmistakeable traces
对称的羽毛的踪迹 和现代鸟类一样
of longer symmetrical feathers, similar to a modern bird's.
这几乎等于确认了巨盗龙也是有羽毛
It seems certain that Gigantoraptor too was feathered,
由此巨盗龙成为了已知最大的有羽毛恐龙
making this the largest feathered animal ever discovered.
它们的羽毛不是用来飞的--巨盗龙不会飞
These aren't for flight - Gigantoraptor couldn't fly.
也不是用来绝热的
Nor are they for insulation.
而是用来吸引异性
These are used to intimidate or attract.
世界上一个又一个此类的发现
Across the world, discovery after discovery
揭示了
has revealed more and more features -
像筑巢和羽毛这些被认为是鸟类特征的行为
from nesting to feathers - that were once thought of
在某些恐龙身上也发现了
as exclusively bird-like but have now also been found in dinosaurs.
但究极发现大概是一枚发现于中国东北
But the ultimate discovery is perhaps that of a dinosaur
生活在一亿两千万年前的恐龙化石
that lived in Northeast China around 120 million years ago.
这片人迹罕至的地区
This remote area has revealed
却保存了完好的化石
spectacular fossils in exquisite detail,
展现了神奇的动物物种
unearthing an astonishing diversity of animals,
其中的很多都适应了树上的生活
many of which are well adapted to living in trees.
有一种恐龙却将这一切带到了一个更高的高度
One particular dinosaur discovery takes this to a whole new level.
翔龙
This is Xianglong.
有着弯曲的爪子 这种蜥蜴非常有利于攀爬
With curved claws, it's a lizard well suited to climbing trees.
捕食者不会错过这样的食物的
With prey like this, predators were sure to follow.
树林中恐龙
The most common dinosaur in these forests
普遍不住在地上
doesn't live on the ground.
小盗龙
Microraptor.
小盗龙的化石保存的如此完好
The fossils of Microraptor are so well preserved
完美展现了它的骨骼结构
they clearly reveal every detail of its anatomy.
一趾上的爪清晰的表明
With distinctive claws on its first toe,
它是迅猛龙家族的澄园
this is a member of the raptor family.
但是这些爪子更加适用于攀爬而非捕猎
But these claws evolved for climbing, rather than killing.
长达一米长的爪子
At less than a metre long,
这种恐龙能非常好的适应书上生活
this was a dinosaur perfectly suited to live in the trees.
小盗龙虽小 但是非常善于追捕猎物
Microraptor is small, and perfectly adapted to chasing prey.
然而翔龙却是靠计谋取胜
Xianglong, however, has a trick.
这是一只飞翔的蜥蜴
This is a flying lizard.
有着超常的逃跑技巧
It seems to have the perfect skill to escape.
但是小盗龙的化石却说明了什么
But the fossils of Microraptor reveal something else.
它也是有羽毛的
This was a feathered dinosaur,
它的羽毛不适用于保暖或是炫耀
but these feathers aren't for keeping warm or for show.
骨骼结构从化石中清晰可见
Their structure is plainly visible from the fossils.
长且中空 最重要的是
They are very long, veined and most importantly,
有着完美的空气动力表面
their shape creates a perfect aerodynamic surface.
羽毛也不仅限于前臂
And they aren't confined to its forearms.
腿部也有
Its legs, too, had long feathers.
显而易见 这些羽毛的目的只有一个--飞翔
These feathers are designed for one thing only - flight.
小盗龙是有着四个翅膀
Microraptor is a four-winged dinosaur...
在空中飞翔的恐龙
that took to the skies.
但是在中国森林
But in these Chinese forests,
小盗龙并非唯一飞翔的怪兽
Microraptor isn't the only flying monster.
中华鸟龙 小盗龙的近亲 但体格更大
Sinornithosaurus. Closely related and larger.
摒弃了偷盗的习性
More than capable of stealing prey.
它的有着更大的目标
But it has larger prey in mind.
现在小盗龙成了猎物
Microraptor is now the hunted.
他们都能飞
Both can fly.
但不是普通意义上的飞翔 而是滑翔
But this isn't powered flight - it's gliding.
最近的研究发现了小盗龙飞翔的方式
Recent research has revealed how Microraptor flew.
它没有用于飞翔的肌肉
It didn't have the muscles for powered flight,
所以只能利用四个翅膀产生的升力
so instead it made the most of its four wings.
飞行时小盗龙将后肢藏于体侧
By holding its rear legs back and to the sides,
这样的滑行轻捷冰高效
it was able to become an incredibly efficient glider...
穿梭在森林中
..moving through the forest in a series of long, looping glides.
四肢有着更长的羽毛
Having longer flight feathers on both its arms and legs,
目前为止小盗龙是更好的滑翔者
Microraptor is by far the better glider.
但是由于没有获取升力的能力 只能慢慢降落
But with no ability to gain height, the only way is down.
一旦落地 长长的羽毛
And once on the ground, the long feathers
就从优点变成缺点了
turn from an advantage into weakness.
小盗龙行走困难 更别说跑了
Microraptor is barely able to walk, much less run.
中华鸟龙就没有这样的毛病
Sinornithosaurus has no such problem.
在地面上 形势逆转
On the forest floor, the tables are turned.
小盗龙幸运逃脱
Microraptor has a fortunate escape.
中华鸟龙是最早被发现的有羽毛的恐龙
Sinornithosaurus was one of the first feathered dinosaurs found.
这枚化石保存十分完善
The fossils are so perfectly preserved
帮助我们解决了
they have helped us solve
恐龙的未解之谜
one of the great dinosaur mysteries.
长久以来 人们觉得
For years, the colour of dinosaurs
还原恐龙的颜色是不可能的
was thought impossible to work out.
2010年的化石发现羽毛的颜色
In 2010, it was discovered that the feathers on this fossil
不再只存在于想像中
weren't just impressions.
在显微镜下 细微的结构
Under the microscope, tiny structures were revealed
和鸟类如出一辙
identical to those found in modern birds -
含有色素的结构
structures that contain the pigment.
通过与鸟类的比对显得非常清楚
Remarkably, by comparing them to living birds,
我们终于可以得出真实的颜色
we can even work out the true colours.
羽毛的颜色呈现红棕色
The feathers appear to be a combination of reddish-browns,
黄色 灰色和黑色
yellows, greys and blacks,
适应森林生活
perfectly suited to forest life.
另一种生活在森林的恐龙是热河龙
Another dinosaur living in this forest is Jeholosaurus,
素食恐龙
a small plant eater.
最近的化石显示 这种恐龙
Recent fossils indicate that this type of dinosaur
会用可以弯曲的羽毛
looks after and protects its young.
来保护幼龙
With feathers that allow it to blend in with the forest,
中华鸟龙可以神不知鬼不觉的在树木间移♥动♥
Sinornithosaurus can move, unseen, through the tree tops.
而它的秘密武器更是事半功倍
And Sinornithosaurus is a hunter with a potent secret weapon.
2011年 一项关于鸟龙眼睛的研究发现
In 2011, a study of the eyes of this creature revealed
它在日间和夜间的捕食行动
that it was a predator perfectly capable
几乎同样出色
of hunting equally during day and night.
2009年对它的牙齿研究
And a study of its teeth, in 2009,
划清了它和鸟类的界限
showed something that definitely sets it apart from birds.
更致命的武器
Something far more deadly.
最大的危险不在于数量上的劣势
The greatest danger is not simply being outnumbered.
中华鸟龙的牙齿
We have found that Sinornithosaurus teeth
有着不寻常的血槽
have unusual and distinctive grooves along their length.
就像美国毒蜥的一样
They resembled those of the venomous Gila monster,
血槽将毒液注入猎物的身体
the grooves in its teeth used to deliver venom into its victim.
研究小组相信他们还发现了化石中
The team even identified what they thought was the location
储藏♥毒♥液的区域
of the venom sac in the fossil.
看来鸟龙可以拥堵也猎杀
It appeared Sinornithosaurus could kill with poison.
这足以表明它是比任何捕食者都可怕的杀手
This is a far more deadly predator than anyone ever imagined...
成为了失落世界怪物最后拼图
and completes an extraordinary picture of a bizarre lost world.
所有的发现表明了羽毛
All of these discoveries reveal the importance of feathers
对于恐龙的不同用处
to a whole host of dinosaurs -
从保暖到防御 直至最后 飞翔
from insulation to defence and finally, flight.
小盗龙不只告诉人们飞行的发展路线
And Microraptor not only hints at how flight developed,
同时也告诉我们
but also
恐龙仍以另一种方式与我们生活在一起
that dinosaurs still live amongst us today,
鸟类
as birds.