But the research team, led by Dr. Angela Milner, a paleontologist at the British museum, wrote that until their investigation of Archaeopteryx, "little was understood about the extent to which its brain and special senses were adapted for flight."

Previous studies of the feathered wing and tail of Archaeopteryx and its birdlike anatomy, including a pronounced wishbone, supported the prevailing view of experts that it was capable of some degree of powered flight.

之前关于始祖鸟带羽毛的翅膀，尾巴以及它类似鸟类骨骼的研究，支持专家们公认的观点，即它能做某种程度的动力飞行。

In a statement issued by the museum, Dr. Milner said, "If flight was this advanced by the time Archaeopteryx was around, then were birds actually flying millions of years earlier than we'd previously thought?"

在博物馆编写的综述中，米尔纳博士写到，如果出现始祖鸟的时候飞行就已经到了如此高级的阶段，那么鸟类是否实际上比我们先前考虑的时间还要早数百万年就飞行了呢？

Dr. Milner said the new study not only established that Archaeopteryx was capable of "controlling the complex business of flying," but also showed "how much there is still to discover about when and how bird flight began."

米尔纳博士讲到，新的研究不仅显示始祖鸟能够控制飞行这样一种复杂的事，而且显示出海洋多少官员鸟类何时和怎样开始飞行的事情尚未发现。

Measurements of the semicircular canals, the mechanism for balance inside the ear, showed that Archaeopteryx had the "neurological and structural adaptations necessary for flight," the scientists concluded.

科学家总结道，对这种鸟的耳内控制平衡的机制半规管的测量显示，始祖鸟拥有了“为了飞翔所必需的神经的和结构的相应改造”。

The researchers, at the Natural History Museum in London, based their findings on the first X-ray examination and reconstruction of the braincase and inner ear of a 147-million-year-old Archaeopteryx specimen.

伦敦自然历史博物馆研究人员的发现是基于1.47亿岁的始祖鸟标本的脑壳和内耳的首次X光检查和重建之上的。

Thanks to its thick feather-shafts, most scientists do think Archaeopteryx could fly, but the newly discovered leg feathers wouldn't have played a great role in that.

由于它的羽轴粗大，大部分科学家都认为始祖鸟会飞，但最新发现的腿部羽毛可能对它的飞翔并不起多大作用。

However, this find of archaeopteryx fossils are from a much earlier age, lower in stratus and more primitive in features than previously discovered archaeopteryx.

而这次始祖鸟化石的发现，比先前发现的鸟化石时代更早，层位更低，特征更加原始。

So, Archaeopteryx probably evolved feathers to entice mates or communicate, which were then gradually "recruited for aerodynamic functions."

所以，始祖鸟进化出羽毛可能是为了吸引配偶或交流，之后才渐渐地“有了飞行功能”。

The feathers found lining Archaeopteryx's body are symmetrical. Which sounds great, but it's actually asymmetrical feathers that are perfect for flight.

始祖鸟身上内层的羽毛是对称的，这听起来很不错，但其实非对称的羽毛才最适合飞翔。

China discovers archaeopteryx fossils

中国发现始祖鸟化石

For a long time, paleontologists weren't sure whether Archaeopteryx had feathers all over its body or just on its wings.

在很长一段时间里，古生物学者都不能确定始祖鸟是全身都有毛还是只有翅膀有毛。

In 1862 at the earliest finding of archaeopteryx in the state of Bavaria, Germany, it stirred the whole world.

一八六二年德国巴伐利亚州最早发现始祖鸟时，曾轰动全球。

Archaeopteryx is considered a prime transitional species in the evolution of some reptiles, probably dinosaurs, into today's birds.

始祖鸟被认为是从某些爬行动物，也许是恐龙，到今天鸟类的演变中重要的过渡物种。

First discovered in Germany in 1861, Archaeopteryx is a milestone species because it represents the transition between dinosaurs and birds.

于1861年在德国首次发现的始祖鸟是划时代的物种，因为它代表了恐龙与鸟之间的过渡。

Over the past 100 years, the world has totally discovered 8 archaeopteryx findings from the same period, and only confined to this area.

一百多年来，世界同时代的始祖鸟总共发现8块，且仅局限于这一地区。

To support his hypothesis he pointed out that several fossils of the oldest known bird, archaeopteryx, lack feathers.

诺莱尔说：“羽毛确实是很难保存下来的东西。”为了证明这种观点，他指出，已知的最早的鸟类&始祖鸟的一些化石也没有羽毛。

Scientists have determined that Archaeopteryx, the earliest known bird, was definitely birdbrained, meaning no disrespect.

科学家已经确定，已知最古老的鸟类始祖鸟的确是鸟的脑子，这么说并不是对它不敬。

According to another report, Chinese scientists have temporarily named this type of archaeopteryx fossil "the Divine Land Archaeopteryx".

另据悉，中国科学家将这类始祖鸟化石暂定名为神州始祖鸟。

The earliest known bird, Archaeopteryx, lived during the Jurassic, the period before the Cretaceous.

人类所知的最早的鸟类，始祖鸟，生活在白垩纪前的侏罗纪时代。

Indeed, they consider the fossil's brain size decisive evidence that Archaeopteryx had what it took to fly.

确实，他们把这种化石的脑部尺寸作为有力的证据来说明始祖鸟拥有使其飞翔的东西。