Paleontologists have discovered a new species of giant, feathered dinosaur, distantly related to Tyrannosaurus rex.

It's called Yutyrannus huali -- "beautiful feathered tyrant" -- and it might be the largest feathered animal to have walked the Earth.

Yutyrannus remains dated to 125 million years ago were found in northeastern China, and researchers estimate that the dinosaur would have measured 30 feet long and weighed 1.5 tons -- 1/5th the weight of a T. rex.

Its "protofeathers," believed to be similar to the down of a baby chick, probably covered its entire body and were likely used for warmth during the extra-chilly first half of the Cretaceous period.

Researchers are currently studying the fossil evidence for clues about the color of the dinosaur's feathers.

[natgeo]

Fleas in the Jurassic era were more than eight times larger than their modern equivalents, measuring up to an inch long, according to a team of researchers in China.

Recently-discovered fossil evidence suggests that the giant fleas had a long, saw-like proboscis that allowed for feeding on large Jurassic animals. They may even have been able to penetrate the hides of some dinosaurs.

"This thing was packing a weapon. They were equipped to dig into something," said Michael Engel, one of the authors of a paper on the flea fossils.

Unlike modern fleas, though, they had to get around by crawling, because their legs weren't yet developed enough for jumping.

The flea fossils are the oldest currently on record, dating from between 125 million and 165 million years ago.

[ap]