The Dinosaur Feather

Evolution, Palaeobiology and Systematics was obviously excited at the discovery of afeathered dinosaur, but that they had nothing further to say until they had been allowed to examine the specimen themselves. Afterwards Clive completed an application to view the animal, knowing full well that it would be a great deal of time before permission was granted. Jack still hadn’t called.
    The following January, the two Chinese palaeontologists, Chang and Laam, finally described and named the animal, and announced that it wasn’t a dinosaur. Clive was triumphant. They named it
Sinosauropteryx
, concluded it was an ancient bird and consequently no one was surprised that it had feathers.
    However, Clive’s joy was short-lived. Fossils started pouring out of China’s soil, literally, and in every subsequent case, Chang and Laam had no doubts: these weren’t ancient birds, they were dinosaurs. And they were all feathered.
    Clive sent a reminder regarding his application and when it was finally approved, he flew to China immediately. It took him two weeks to examine
Sinosauropteryx
, and he also had a closer look at
Caudipteryx
and
Protarchaeopteryx
. Delighted, he called Jack and told him to hold the front page. Clive’s enthusiasm was infectious. ‘This is a rotten line,’ Jack laughed, ‘call me when you get back.’
    Clive spent another two days in China before flying home. He was overjoyed.
Beipiaosaurus
,
Sinornithosaurus, Microraptor, Caudipteryx
and
Protarchaeopteryx
were obviously all ancient birds, but
not
dinosaurs. Furthermore, the Chinese had turned out to be very welcoming, not at all reticent as he had been told, and the food superb. One afternoon he strolled through a garden of cherry trees, whose white petals fluttered poetically on to the visitors, and wished that Jack could havebeen there with him. If only they could have some time together. Jack was a science writer, one of the very best, but, of course, there was a price to pay. Jack shared Clive’s scientific views, Clive knew that, but Jack self-evidently couldn’t appreciate the discussion about the origin of birds fully, when he also had to consider so many other topics. If only they could have some time together, then Clive could explain the details to him. This would boost Clive’s position enormously.
Scientific Today
was selling better than ever, everyone in the science community read it and wanted to publish in it. Jack and he would once more be an unbeatable duo.
    Across from the cherry-tree garden was a market, where Clive bought two bronze beetles in a glass dome for his sons and a large piece of silk for Kay. When he got back, he would ask Jack if they could go away together. Just for a couple of days. Just the two of them.
    When he got back to Canada, Clive went to see Jack. He had written most of his paper on the plane and when he landed in Vancouver, the major themes of his arguments were outlined. Triumphantly, he slammed it down in front of Jack.
    ‘Did you have a good trip?’ Jack asked, smiling.
    ‘Yes,’ Clive said.
    ‘Coffee?’
    Clive declined. Jack went to get some for himself and when he returned, he closed the door behind him and called his secretary to say he didn’t want to be disturbed for the next fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes, Clive thought. Jack let himself fall into the chair behind his desk and looked at Clive.
    ‘I can’t print your paper,’ he said.
    ‘What?’
    ‘I’ve got doubts,’ Jack replied.
    ‘About what?’
    ‘About the origin of birds.’ He held up his hand to forestall Clive’s reaction, but Clive was speechless.
    ‘For years your position was reasonable. We were missing many decisive fossils, phylogenetic methods were still unreliable, and there were problems explaining the reduction of bird fingers . . . During all that time I understood perfectly well why you didn’t buy the dinosaur theory. But now? New evidence is discovered every week, Clive. And everything points to birds being present-day dinosaurs, don’t you see? More than 250 apomorphies link birds and dinosaurs. Two hundred and fifty apomorphies! Including feathers. Feathers! Not to mention that more than 95 per cent of the world’s scientists today agree that cladistics is the accepted phylogenetic method. Everyone’s using cladistics, except you. You have an impressive CV, Clive. No one would think less of you if you changed your position – on the contrary. That’s the very core of science. That a hypothesis