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Palaeontology is the study of prehistoric species, mostly ones that are extinct. It focuses primarily on fossil data, using a variety of physical, chemical and biological techniques to analyse them.
A study on the palatal region of pterosaurs suggests different bone interpretations and new identification of the palatal openings, pointing out that the maxillopalatine fenestra in pterosaurs is unique within Diapsida.
Finite element analysis shows distinctive strengthened cranial biomechanics in Oviraptorosauria compared with other herbivorous theropod dinosaurs, established prior to the highly modified oviraptorid cranial morphology.
For a century, scientists pondered whether bird flight evolved by animals gliding down from trees or by creatures running and flapping from the ground up. A landmark 1974 paper reset the debate to focus on the evolution of the flight stroke instead.