(Alexander Kellner) I always wanted to become
a paleontologist and believe it or not, I
always wanted to study those flying creatures
called Pterosaurs.
For me, the most fun aspect of my work is
actually to find fossils.
When you make this discovery, and you find
those bones that are buried for millions of
years, and you're the first one to see them,
that is a fantastic feeling.
(Michel Habib) In a way I started my job today
as a paleontologist as a kid.
I went searching for fossils and cool creatures
out in the woods and cliffs and deserts and
I just spent a lot of time reading as much
as I could about the animals that fascinated
me.
(Mark Norell) Just like with all other fossils,
recent advancements in technology have really
changed the way that we're able to study Pterosaurs.
Some of these things are things like CAT scanning,
which we can accurately reconstruct their
brains, we can even look at some of the mechanical
aspects on the inside of their bones.
We can also use computer simulations to be
able to look at Pterosaur flight, so in the
same way that people model the wings of airplanes,
we can use some of those same techniques to
look at the flight performance of Pterosaurs.
My favorite Pterosaur fossil that I've ever
had the opportunity to study are some of the
Anurognathid fossils, specifically Jeholopterus,
found in Northeastern China.
It's a beautiful small specimen, completely
covered with filamentous textures, so it was
like a fuzzball flying through the air when
it was alive.
It has wings, which show that it was probably
a very agile flier, and an animal that might
be very similar to a modern bat.
(Michael Habib) My favorite Pterosaur would
have to be Quetzalcoatlus.
The largest individual Quetzalcoatlus, Quetzalcoatlus
northropi, was one of the largest flying animals
of all time, which is very impressive and
raises a number of interesting scientific
questions.
(Alexender Kellner) I think one of my favorite
Pterosaurs is Tupandactylus imperatur, and
the main reason for that is when I first saw
the specimen, with that huge crest, I didn't
believe it existed.
And still now, I keep wondering, "How did
that animal fly?"
