A new study of the flight capabilities of pterosaurs has found that these ancient flying reptiles were not as aerodynamic as previously thought. This has led to a rethink of the size of the largest pterosaur, which is now thought to have been much smaller than previously estimated.

The study, published in the journal "Current Biology," used a variety of techniques to analyze the flight capabilities of pterosaurs. These techniques included wind tunnel tests, computer modeling, and flight simulations.

The results of the study showed that pterosaurs were not as efficient at gliding as modern birds. This is because their wings were not as stiff, and they had a higher drag coefficient. As a result, pterosaurs could not fly as high or as fast as modern birds.

The study also found that the largest pterosaur, Quetzalcoatlus northropi, was not as large as previously thought. The new estimate for its wingspan is 36 feet, which is about 10 feet shorter than the previous estimate.

The new findings about pterosaur flight have important implications for understanding the evolution of these ancient reptiles. They also suggest that the largest flying animals of all time were not as large as previously thought.