The dodo bird had a secret sensory world scientists are only now discovering
Researchers have used CT scans of rare dodo skulls to reconstruct the bird's brain and sensory capabilities. The findings suggest the dodo had a better sense of smell and touch than previously thought, potentially altering its daily activity patterns.
Why it matters
This study provides new scientific understanding of an iconic extinct species, challenging long-held assumptions about its behavior and ecology.
Only two complete dodo skulls are known anywhere in the world. One is housed at the Natural History Museum Denmark, while the other belongs to the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. The Copenhagen specimen has remained in the museum's collections for centuries, and it has now played a key role in an international investigation led by researchers at the University of Lethbridge in Canada. Their goal was to explore a long-standing mystery: how did the dodo perceive and interact with the world around it?
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