Editing Archaeoraptor (section)

===Creationism===
[[File:Microraptor fossil1.JPG|thumb|''Microraptor zhaoianus'']]
The scandal is sometimes used by creationists like [[Kent Hovind]], Kirk Cameron, and Ray Comfort to cast doubt on the hypothesis that birds evolved from dinosaurs.<ref>{{cite web| title = Hovind Debate| publisher = YouTube.com| date = 2006-02-26| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMpk7WerFWw| access-date = 2008-06-13}}</ref> Many creationists insist that no missing links between birds and dinosaurs have been found, and commonly point to "Archaeoraptor" as evidence of misconduct performed to support the evolutionary theory.<ref name="EF">{{cite web| title = Evolution Fraud| publisher = Northwest Creation Network| year = 2008| url = http://www.nwcreation.net/evolutionfraud.html| access-date = 2008-06-14| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080621131058/http://www.nwcreation.net/evolutionfraud.html| archive-date = 21 June 2008| url-status = dead}}</ref><ref name="Sibley">{{cite web| last = Sibley| first = Andrew| title = Feathered dinosaurs and the Disneyfication of palaeontology| publisher = The Creation Science Movement| date = 2005-09-16| url = http://www.csm.org.uk/news.php?viewmessage=34| access-date = 2008-06-14| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061030015410/http://www.csm.org.uk/news.php?viewmessage=34| archive-date = 2006-10-30| url-status = dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Second Look Causes Scientist to Reverse Dino-Bird Claim |url=https://www.icr.org/article/second-look-causes-scientist-reverse |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=www.icr.org |language=en}}</ref> They see "Archaeoraptor" as a "Piltdown Bird". However, contrary to the [[Piltdown Man]], "Archaeoraptor" was not deliberately fabricated to support some evolutionary claim.<ref>Chambers, Paul, (2002), ''Bones of Contention'', John Murray (Publishers) Ltd, London, p. 249</ref> Furthermore, the authenticity of "Archaeoraptor" would not have been essential proof for the hypothesis that birds are theropods, as this is sufficiently corroborated by other data; paleontologist [[Christopher Brochu]] concluded in November 2001: "That birds are derived from theropod dinosaurs is no longer the subject of scholarly dispute."<ref>Brochu, Christopher A. (2001), "Progress and future directions in archosaur phylogenetics", ''Journal of Paleontology'': Vol. 75, No. 6, pp. 1185–1201</ref> Though playing the role of "terrestrial dinosaur" in the "Archaeoraptor" affair, the ''Microraptor'', showing wings and clear traces of [[rectrices]], is generally assumed to have had at least a gliding capacity and is itself an excellent example of a transitional fossil.{{cn|date=December 2022}}