Mei long

Mei long, a small and feathered dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous period, lived around 120 million years ago and is best known for its remarkable fossil, which preserved the creature in a curled-up, sleeping position. This bipedal theropod, measuring only about 53 centimeters (16 inches) in length, was a member of the Dromaeosauridae family, which includes more famous relatives like Velociraptor, though Mei long was much smaller and more delicate. The name Mei long translates to "sleeping dragon" in Chinese, a fitting tribute to the fossil's discovery—showing the dinosaur in a seemingly peaceful pose, possibly indicating that it was curled up to sleep, much like some modern birds do.

Mei long was likely a small, feathered predator, with a diet consisting of small vertebrates and insects. Its body structure—light, nimble, and built for speed—suggests that it would have been an agile hunter, possibly stalking its prey in the dense, lush environments of what is now China, where fossils of Mei long have been found. It had a relatively long tail, sharp claws, and a lightly built skull, features that are characteristic of many small theropods. The feathers it likely possessed would have been used for insulation, display, or possibly aiding in balance while running or climbing. The sleeping posture preserved in the fossil, alongside evidence of feather impressions, provides important insight into the early evolution of feathers, showing that even small theropods like Mei long may have already had feather-like structures long before the rise of modern birds. The discovery of this well-preserved specimen is also significant because it provides evidence of behavior—such as sleep—offering a rare glimpse into the daily life of early dinosaurs.