Fossil feathers disprove dinosaur theory

Fossil experts in the United States say fossilised feathers found in Russia have cast doubt on the theory that birds developed from dinosaurs.

The feathers, which had hollow shafts like modern bird feathers, came from a small lizard-like creature, a Longisquama, which lived two-hundred-and-twenty million years ago.

This is about seventy million years before winged dinosaurs, such as the velociraptor, are known to have inhabited the earth.

The American experts, writing in the scientific journal, Nature, say they also believe they've solved the argument over whether feathers evolved to provide warmth or to enable flight.

They say the longisquama definitely used them for flying, or gliding.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service