Science Fact of the Week (11/22/17 - Thanksgiving Eve)

Did you know that a turkey's wishbone — the one you and your siblings pull from opposite ends to see who gets the middle nodule — is formed by the fusion of the bird's two collarbones? Also called a furcular, the bone serves as the connecting point for muscles and a brace for the wings. During the bird's flapping (yes, turkeys can fly up to 50miles per hour in short bursts), the wishbone acts as a spring to store and release energy. This elasticity is also the reason snapping a wishbone before it dries is so tough.

But, it turns out, the wishbone is more than a fun game for Turkey Day. It also serves as a reminder that birds evolved from a group of dinosaurs. That’s right, turkeys and dinosaurs are related! 

Source: https://www.livescience.com/17057-turkey-facts-thanksgiving.html

Researchers have found that the wishbone dates back more than 150 million years to a group of meat-eating dinosaurs that includes T. rex and Velociraptor.

So you can officially say, Happy Dinosaur-Cousin Day instead of Happy Turkey Day!

Adapted from: https://www.livescience.com/17057-turkey-facts-thanksgiving.html

Source: University of California Museum of Paleontology; dinosaurs.com