Pretend you’re a creature with endless freedom for just a second.Tumblr (3.0; @blakevans)http://blakevans.tumblr.com/<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mda7rmyx671qc6j5yo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a class="tumblr_blog" href="http://rhamphotheca.tumblr.com/post/35415605286/dragon-like-feathered-dinosaur-was-ace-flyer">rhamphotheca</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p><strong>Dragon-Like, Feathered Dinosaur Was Ace Flyer</strong></p> <p><em>Microraptor had wings that allowed it to turn on a dime.</em></p> <p><em>by Amanda Feigl</em></p> <p>Why would a dinosaur with a body built for running have four wings and a long, feathered tail—and how did it use them? Paleontologists have long puzzled over the dragon-like anatomy of the tiny, carnivorous dinosaur called <em>Microraptor</em> that hunted in the forests of <a href="http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/china-guide/">China</a> 130 million years ago.</p> <p>Finally, anatomists think they’ve found an answer: This <a href="http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birding/american-crow/">crow</a>-size dromaeosaur was a master of control. Whether it was gliding or flapping through the air, its hind wings would have let it turn on a dime.</p> <p>“In terms of aerodynamics, the hind wings would have increased its rate of turn by 33 to 50 percent, compared to using only the front wings,” said <a href="https://my.usc.edu/wp/faculty/ViewDetail.do?uscpvid=sckv9jf8">Michael Habib</a> of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, who co-presented the research at an annual meeting of the <a href="http://vertpaleo.org/2012-Annual-Meeting/Annual-Meeting-Home.aspx">Society of Vertebrate Paleontology</a> in Raleigh, North Carolina, last month…</p> <p>(read more: <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/11/121105-microraptor-dinosaurs-flying-wings-paleontology-science/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_content=link_fb20121106news-dinoflyer&utm_campaign=Content">National Geo</a>)          (image: David Krentz)</p> </blockquote>http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/35448718811http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/35448718811Sat, 10 Nov 2012 20:20:07 -0500<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_md7a55VLWV1qzpsuoo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><3</p>http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/35448617017http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/35448617017Sat, 10 Nov 2012 20:18:37 -0500<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7sdh4ChPY1qgiej5o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/>http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/35448305562http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/35448305562Sat, 10 Nov 2012 20:13:58 -0500<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_majnztKKot1rxj7o8o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/>http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/33980683095http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/33980683095Sat, 20 Oct 2012 16:54:44 -0400<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mayagf121S1r1ybjyo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/>http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/32352721631http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/32352721631Wed, 26 Sep 2012 18:04:21 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_madjbfX2wA1qc43fto1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/>http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/32352605428http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/32352605428Wed, 26 Sep 2012 18:02:38 -0400<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mayxlsEOiF1rgdlvqo1_400.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mayxlsEOiF1rgdlvqo2_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mayxlsEOiF1rgdlvqo3_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mayxlsEOiF1rgdlvqo4_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><p><a class="tumblr_blog" href="http://chewingfingers.tumblr.com/post/32337307421/kate-mccgwire-feather-sculptures">chewingfingers</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p><span class="Apple-style-span">Kate MccGwire - Feather Sculptures</span></p> </blockquote>http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/32352598444http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/32352598444Wed, 26 Sep 2012 18:02:32 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mayr201emx1r364o5o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a class="tumblr_blog" href="http://cbauerphoto.tumblr.com/post/32330732819/baby-seahorses-digital-photograph-2011">cbauerphoto</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>Baby Seahorses | Digital Photograph | 2011</p> </blockquote>http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/32352397670http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/32352397670Wed, 26 Sep 2012 17:59:50 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_matsqg4CuS1r9qiqwo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/>http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/32351441181http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/32351441181Wed, 26 Sep 2012 17:45:48 -0400<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lq6rr75hW91r0o4xko1_500.gif"/><br/><br/>http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/22593689947http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/22593689947Mon, 07 May 2012 13:15:22 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3lnj6Ykss1r4t9h1o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a class="tumblr_blog" href="http://fairy-wren.tumblr.com/post/22510443166/eastern-rosella-photo-by-jamie-condon">fairy-wren</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>eastern rosella</p> <p>(photo by jamie condon)</p> </blockquote>http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/22593498741http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/22593498741Mon, 07 May 2012 13:10:44 -0400<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3g801opPo1r4t9h1o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a class="tumblr_blog" href="http://fairy-wren.tumblr.com/post/22515481567/little-egret-photo-via-sakertour">fairy-wren</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>little egret</p> <p>(photo via sakertour)</p> </blockquote>http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/22593483209http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/22593483209Mon, 07 May 2012 13:10:21 -0400<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3f6hybvmg1r5f9igo1_500.png"/><br/><br/>http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/22593445243http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/22593445243Mon, 07 May 2012 13:09:24 -0400<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3hc6jbC5G1qdvbfto1_500.png"/><br/><br/>http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/22593432404http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/22593432404Mon, 07 May 2012 13:09:05 -0400<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3b3sekJze1rq7j4lo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/>http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/22593320359http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/22593320359Mon, 07 May 2012 13:06:20 -0400<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3m7a1pzkh1r3sb91o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/>http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/22593303278http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/22593303278Mon, 07 May 2012 13:05:57 -0400<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3l8j4Y5WI1qd0nh7o1_500.gif"/><br/><br/><p><a class="tumblr_blog" href="http://uniquestrength.tumblr.com/post/22536396709/via-imgtumble">uniquestrength</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>(via <a href="http://www.rubbledev.com/imgtumble">imgTumble</a>)</p> </blockquote>http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/22593252646http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/22593252646Mon, 07 May 2012 13:04:41 -0400<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3nj0gxq5i1r1eg8uo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a class="tumblr_blog" href="http://si-b3lla.tumblr.com/post/22583529631/i-wish-i-was-on-the-moon-far-away-from-this-place">si-b3lla</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>I wish I was on the moon, far away from this place</p> </blockquote>http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/22593139998http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/22593139998Mon, 07 May 2012 13:02:00 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3njdgGu0h1r4t9h1o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a class="tumblr_blog" href="http://fairy-wren.tumblr.com/post/22583757020/little-ringed-plovers-photo-by-roeselien">fairy-wren</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>little ringed plovers</p> <p>(photo by roeselien raimond)</p> </blockquote>http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/22593134248http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/22593134248Mon, 07 May 2012 13:01:51 -0400<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3npg006bN1r4t9h1o1_r1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a class="tumblr_blog" href="http://fairy-wren.tumblr.com/post/22589578826/red-bellied-woodpecker-photo-by-steve-byland">fairy-wren</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>red-bellied woodpecker</p> <p>(photo by steve byland)</p> </blockquote>http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/22592283162http://blakevans.tumblr.com/post/22592283162Mon, 07 May 2012 12:40:45 -0400