Re: What is biomechanics? (or, The Truth About Flying Snakes - Was: Re: science and philosophy)

[npharris@umich.edu]

Quoting Colin McHenry <cmchenry@westserv.net.au>:

> John Conway wrote -
> 
> >I'm sorry, I don't think there is "confusion" among cladists that you
> >refer to. In fact there is remarkable consistency - Dromaeosaurs and
> >Troodontids are the closest to birds.
> 
> 
> Which just supports my point.  Dromaeosaurs and Troodontids make pretty poor
> precurosrs for a flying animal (from a biomechanical point of view), if you
> ask me.

OK.  Cladistics: Lesson 1.  Cladistics is not about precursors.  Cladistics is 
about nearest attested relatives.  Please write this on the blackboard 5000 
times.

--Nick P.