Scientists debunk long-held myth about the most famous animal extinction — turning Darwin’s theory on its head - New York Post
A new study using high-resolution CT scans of dodo skulls suggests the extinct bird was more intelligent than previously thought. Researchers found the dodo's forebrain proportions were similar to those of modern pigeons, challenging the long-standing stereotype of the bird as foolish.
Why it matters
This research corrects a historical misconception about an iconic extinct species and highlights how modern technology can re-evaluate biological history.
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Add The New York Post on Google They weren’t the bird brain they were billed as.
Once seen as synonymous with stupidity, the dodo bird was actually not as dumb as depicted — and could’ve been as smart as a modern pigeon. The flightless bird’s underrated intelligence was detailed in a study published in a zoological journal.
“Our findings challenge the longstanding stereotype of the dodo as a clumsy, foolish daytime forager,” Professor Vera Weisbecker, from Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia, wrote in The Conversation .
They set out to challenge the stigma surrounding the so-called buffoonish featherbag, which went extinct in the late 17th century, just decades after humans arrived on its home island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.
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