Dinosaur Origin of Birds: Evidence and Research Methods of Cranium Evolution

Abstract

Research on avian skull evolution represents a key field for exploring the hypothesis of avian origin from theropod dinosaurs. In terms of research methods, Computed Tomography (CT) technology, through cranium, mandible and endocast reconstruction, provides support for analyzing the fine structure and evolutionary path of the cranium; the combination of fossil records and gene expression has made breakthroughs in the research on the gene regulation of embryonic teeth and the molecular mechanism of the origin of bird beaks and palates. Current research is limited by incomplete fossil preservation, insufficient data volume, large differences in data structures among institutions, and the lack of a sharing mechanism. In response, artificial intelligence technology can improve the accuracy of CT model reconstruction and the efficiency of data processing, helping to deduce incomplete fossils; establishing a shared database (e.g., learning from the experience of existing mineral and fossil databases, building a bio-environment database and promoting data linkage between genes and phenotypes) can solve the problem of data sharing. In the future, introducing AI technology and constructing a standardized sharing platform will be the core development directions of this field, which are expected to fill research gaps and promote the exploration of the evolutionary mechanism of bird craniums. This paper focuses on the research of bird cranium evolution and systematically sorts out the core research methods, progress, limitations and solutions in this field around the theropod dinosaur origin hypothesis of birds.