One-tonne 'feathered tyrant' found in China  Updated April 05,
2012 15:38:47  Palaeontologists in China have uncovered a
species of giant feathered dinosaur that was an ancient relative
of Tyrannosaurus rex.  Scientists have known for over a decade
that some small dinosaurs had bird-like feathers.  But a report
in the journal Nature says the new species of tyrannosaur, which
was 9 metres long and weighed about 1.5 tonnes, provides direct
evidence of the existence of gigantic feathered dinosaurs and
has implications for early feather evolution.  The theropod,
which was an ancient relative of Tyrannosaurus rex, was 40 times
larger than any previously known feathered dinosaur.  It has
been given the name Yutyrannus huali, a combination of Latin and
Mandarin, which means "beautiful feathered tyrant".  The paper's
lead author, Professor Xu Xing from Beijing's Institute of
Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropology, says the new
species is based on three beautifully preserved specimens.  "The
feathers of Yutyr