According to the latest scientific data, dinosaurs first appeared about 250 million years ago, and not 230 million years ago as was thought, reported informing.ru.

A group of US and British researchers conducted a joint study, where they carried out a phylogenetic tree analysis of the evolution of dinosaurs that are currently known to science, and of the first known birds as well as the modern-day birds.

Researchers determined the average time that is needed for the morphological changes in the skeletons of these animals.

And as a result, they were able to determine when dinosaurs and birds actually first appeared.

Thus, the age of the first birds also increased considerably. If earlier it was believed that they first appeared 150 million years ago, now it is believed that this was actually 160 million years ago.

Birds, however, acquired their current appearance about 70 to 80 million years ago.