A recent study co-authored by Matt Friedman reveals that the mass extinction event 66 million years ago caused by an asteroid impact that wiped out non-avian dinosaurs triggered rapid evolution in bird genomes. Researchers found evidence of significant genetic changes or "genomic fossils" that mark critical evolutionary steps in birds, contributing to the immense diversity seen in over 10,000 species of birds today. These genetic shifts are linked to changes in bird physiology, such as smaller adult body sizes and a higher prevalence of altricial development (where hatchlings are born in a more embryonic state and require parental care).

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