Scientists hail new species of feathered dinosaurs

The new dinosaur fossils, disclosed on Friday, representing five different species from two different rock sequences in north-eastern China, all have feathers or feather-like structures.

The new finds are "indisputably" older than archaeopteryx, the oldest known bird, which scientists claim provides exceptional evidence that birds evolved from dinosaurs.

The theory birds evolved from dinosaurs has always been troubled by the absence of feathers more ancient than those on the famous archaeopteryx.

Addressing the annual meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontologists (SVP) in Bristol, Dr Xu Xing, one of the lead scientists behind the discovery, said: "These exceptional fossils provide us with evidence that has been missing until now. Now it all fits neatly into place and we have tied up some of the loose ends."