Mystery behind pigeon route

LONDON: Scientists have found that pigeons find their way around by following roads. Researchers from Oxford University were shocked at their findings.

They expected the homing pigeons to fly in straight lines, but found they followed main roads and roundabouts instead — even if it went miles out of their way. It was originally thought birds used an in-built compass to find their way home. But by using tiny hi-tech cameras strapped to the birds’ backs, researchers were able to track their routes.

It’s thought that pigeons prefer to follow roads because they are easier to remember.

Regal dinosaur species

CALIFORNIA: Scientists say they have identified a new species of dinosaur that roamed an area that is now known as western India 65 million years ago. The discovery began with a mysterious collection of dinosaur bones gathered in India 20 years ago.

Palaeontologists Jeff Wilson and Paul Sereno, a National Geographic explorer-in-residence, fit the bones together like pieces of a puzzle. The new dino is named Rajasaurus narmadensis, which means “regal reptile from the Narmada”.