informal generic fossil china article published magazine magazine claimed fossil missing link birds terrestrial prior publication severe doubts fossil authenticity scientific study showed constructed rearranged pieces real fossils different species found head upper body actually belong specimen primitive fossil bird study found tail belongs small winged named legs feet belong unknown animal scandal brought attention illegal fossil deals conducted china true examples found demonstrate evolutionary connection birds scandal unveiled press conference held magazine october press conference plans announced return fossil chinese authorities illegally exported november featured fossil article written art editor article general discussed origin birds claimed fossil missing link terrestrial birds actually fly informally referred announcing later formally named means ancient drew immediate criticism curator birds washington backbone newsletter museum denounced publication scientific popular journal peer review nightmare february issued press release stating fossil composite internal investigation begun month editor told nature furious learn fossil faked march issue forum section letter pointed tail section probably match upper body october published results investigation article written winning investigative journalist concluded fossil composite virtually involved project mistakes chronology according report story begins july china farmers routinely dug pits picks sold fossils dealers dollars illegal practice common case farmer found rare fossil toothed bird complete feather impressions fossil broke pieces collection nearby pit found pieces including tail legs cemented pieces manner believed correct apparently knew complete looking expensive fossil sold june anonymous dealer smuggled united_states according authorities beijing fossils leave china legally fall annual meeting held utah united_states rumors circulating striking fossil primitive bird private hands fossil presented anonymous dealer gem arizona utah purchased february museum run wife hold university degree dinosaur artist arranged patrons museum including trustee provide purchase fossil order study scientifically prevent disappearing anonymous private collection contacted contacted agreed study fossil condition eventually returned china intended fossil formally published peer reviewed science journal nature follow immediately press conference issue editor asked members project fossil secret magazine story intended fossil crown jewel planned display years says flew utah spring convince return fossil china immediately publication write work agreed contacted beijing flew utah team initial examination fossil march clear left right feet mirrored perfectly fossil completed slab noticed connection seen tail body july brought fossil austin founded operated having july determined indicated fragments showing tail lower legs larger fossil informed august chance fraud subsequent discussion pressured reservations private week september sent prepare fossil better study concluded fossil composite specimen specimens maximum separate specimens angrily denied reported inform problems august team submitted manuscript titled new toothed bird like tail names journal nature london paper mentions places includes figure illustrating point legs tail counterparts main slab august nature rejected paper indicating refused delay publication leaving little time peer review authors submitted paper science sent peer review reviewers informed science specimen smuggled china illegally purchased fossil china enhance value science rejected paper according inform details time november issue preparation printing formally published peer reviewed journal went ahead published peer review fossil unveiled press conference october november contained article art editor described missing link helped connection birds original fossil display pending return china article count act purposes scientific classification anticipation able publish peer reviewed description point future november came curator birds published open letter november pointing specimen question known illegally exported protesting prevailing birds evolved complained journalist process scientific nomenclature publishing popular press worst nightmare chance new organism inadvertently journalist october having informed problems seeing specimen time noticed tail strongly resembled unnamed dinosaur studying later named returned china traveled inspected fossil site contacted number fossil dealers eventually found fairly complete fossil tiny tail new fossil corresponded exactly tail fossil matching yellow december sent authors announcing fossil fake february issued press release stating fossil composite internal investigation begun march issue letter ran forum section magazine change word fake composite april told group washington idiot bone stupid mistake allen expressed regret felt claiming affair evidence correct published brief communication nature describing findings concluded apart specimens complete fossil left second feet tail consisted separate parts june fossil returned china october issue published results investigation ongoing confusion fossils involved scandal led ongoing confusion taxon names december described nature examined upper body fossil reported belonged previously named genus published volume titled origin flight journal described named species species named book disputed despite work author described upper portion fossil new bird genus article include actually specimen fossil specimen named different places built case controversial view birds criticized prominent text accused fossil having long leg feathers influences ideas fact interpretation correct added leg feathers reconstruction fossil art promotes traveling exhibit taxa authors named later treated junior synonyms authors treated treated described noting similar later specimens demonstrated probably synonymous taxon assigned named reviewed bennett found multiple bones inconsistencies actual fossils bennett found specimen criticized previous authors publishing species characters class level verified traveling exhibit stephen compiled traveling exhibit containing chinese fossils titled origin flight paid set fee display opened told reporters nature dozen fossils left china illegally arranged assign accession numbers valuable specimens formally adding collection beijing remain possession denied assertion fossils illegal told nature magazine worked agreement officials borrow fossils repatriated march scheduled california according nature refused requests officials available interview scientists consider work fossils chance smuggled disregard privately owned fossils altogether professionals feel private collectors fossils private hands science able access study believe private collectors damage important fossils subject obscure origins evidence ages illegal dealers participated encourage governmental corruption philosophy argues scientists bend ethics agree publish important private fossils encourage private holders available study taxonomic history april published article backbone newsletter article justified views evolution birds revised species designating tail original fraudulent specimen type specimen prevent entering literature assigned specimen likely classified portion later shown represent true bird species presumed article named fossil failed explicitly indicate new demanded article condition valid months published description nature scandal like cast doubt hypothesis birds evolved insist missing links birds found commonly point evidence misconduct performed support evolutionary theory real bird contrary man deliberate hoax furthermore authenticity essential proof hypothesis birds sufficiently data concluded november birds derived longer subject scholarly dispute playing role terrestrial dinosaur affair showing wings clear traces generally assumed capacity excellent example transitional fossil
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