和恐龙对话的科学家们

Core Points - The 2025 Future Science Prize awarded the Life Science Prize to paleontologists for their discovery of fossil evidence linking birds to dinosaurs, highlighting that dinosaurs did not completely go extinct [2][5] - The award aims to increase public interest in evolutionary biology and correct misconceptions about dinosaurs being entirely extinct [2][6] Group 1: Award and Recognition - The Future Science Prize, often referred to as "China's Nobel Prize," was established in 2016 to recognize outstanding scientific achievements in basic research [5] - The Life Science Prize, one of three categories, has a monetary award equivalent to $1 million, with 46 scientists recognized over the past decade [5] Group 2: Research Contributions - The awarded paleontologists, including Ji Qiang, Xu Xing, and Zhou Zhonghe, have demonstrated that modern birds are descendants of small feathered theropod dinosaurs [2][6] - Their work has transformed the hypothesis that birds originated from dinosaurs into a widely accepted scientific theory, reshaping human understanding of dinosaurs [7][8] Group 3: Fieldwork and Discoveries - The paleontologists emphasize the joy of fieldwork and the thrill of discovering fossils in challenging environments, which has led to significant findings [4][8] - Zhou Zhonghe recalls his first discovery of bird fossils in 1990, which filled a gap in the evolutionary history of early birds [4][7] Group 4: Collaboration and Community Involvement - The research involved contributions from various individuals, including farmers and workers, who assisted in fossil collection [8] - The collaboration between Xu Xing and Zhou Zhonghe has been harmonious, focusing on different aspects of dinosaur and bird research without conflicts [8]