Some dinosaurs had small, fluffy feathers called “downy” fea…
Some dinosaurs had small, fluffy feathers called “downy” feathers (similar to down feathers in a pillow), but lacked the type of feathers necessary for flight. These dinosaurs are believed to be the ancestors of modern birds, which have several types of feathers that allow them to fly. How can we explain the evolution of an “intermediate” trait such as downy feather, if they were functionally useless for flight?