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Asteriornis maastrichtensis, affectionately known as the Wonderchicken, is among the most exciting bird fossils ever found. It has one of the best-preserved fossil bird skulls in the world, and gives us important insights into the evolutionary origins of modern birds.
Use this online display to find out how CT scanning can help us visualise delicate fossils without damaging them, how we reconstruct an animal that no one has ever seen and how close observation of features help us to identify a fossils closest relatives.
Download the teachers notes and activities
Visit the online exhibition
Other resources
- Sketchfab - free resource for 3D scanned fossils
- Duck photos
- Chicken photos
Watch Dr Field talking about his discovery in the video below.
