Here are some closeups of some fossilized bones from the early Cretaceous. Look closely:

Integumentary structures of IVPPV11579. a, b, Filamentous integumentary structures along the dorsal edge of the distal caudal vertebrae, photograph(a) and linedrawing(b). c, d, Close-up of the integumentary structures showing the simple branching pattern, photograph(c) and linedrawing(d). Not to scale.

They've got fine filamentous feathery hairs all over them—it's a dinosaur with feathers. One very cool thing about it is that this is a basal tyrannosaurid, a new species named Dilong paradoxus.

a, Skeletal reconstruction showing preserved bones. b, Left maxilla in lateral view. c, Right maxilla in lateral view. d, Left postorbital in medial view. e,Right squamosal in lateral view. f, Premaxillary tooth in lingual view. Note the flat lingual surface. g, Maxillary tooth in labial view. h, Distal caudal vertebrae associated with branched integumentary structures. i, Reconstructed left manus in dorsal view. j, Left ischium in lateral view. k, Left metatarsals in anterior view. Scalebar, 10cm(a).

Steven Spielberg doesn't have to rush back and redo the digital imagery in Jurassic Park just yet, though. This is a basal tyrannosaurid; it's an ancestor to the T. rex we all know and love. It's smaller (about 1.6m long), older, and has three-fingered hands. It's bigger many-times-great-grandchildren could have easily lost the feathers with their increase in size, just as large mammals like elephants and rhinos lose their ancestral insulation.

One last picture—when you think tyrannosaur, everyone wants to see the skull. It looks a little less like a chicken now, that's for sure.

Dilong paradoxus. a,c, Photographs of the skull of IVPPV14243 in left lateral(a) and dorsal (c) views. Scalebar, 2cm. b, d, Cranial reconstruction in left lateral (b) and dorsal (d) views. e, Braincase of IVPPV14242 in ventral view. f, A dentary tooth of IVPPV14242 in lingual view, with detailed views of the anterior and posterior margins. g,h, A middle cervical vertebra of IVPPV14242 in left lateral (g) and posterior (h) views. Scale bar, 1cm. i, Left scapula and coracoid of IVPPV14243 in lateral view. Scalebar, 2cm. j, Left humerus of IVPPV14243 in anterior view. Scalebar, 1cm. k, Left ilium of IVPPV14243 in medial view. The acetabular region is crushed. Scalebar, 2cm. Abbreviations: ?adc, ?anterodorsal concavity; an, angular; ap, acromion process; bc, basioccipital condyle; bf, brevisfossa; bpp, basiopterygoid process; bsr, basisphenoid recess; cp,cultriform process; cr,coracoid; d,dentary; dpc, deltopectoral crest; ep, epipophysis; fr, frontal; hh, humeral head; isf, interspinous ligamentous fossa; j, jugal; l, lacrimal; lp, lateral process; m,maxilla; mf, maxillary fenestra; n.nasal; nc, nuchalcrest; p, parietal; pf, prefrontal; pmf, promaxillary fenestra; po, pneumatic opening; pp, posterior process; pr, pneumatic recess; prm, premaxilla; przp, prezygapophysis; pzp, postzygapophysis; qj, quadratojugal; rap, retroarticular process; s,scapula; sa, surangular; sc, sagittal crest; sq, squamosal; sqjf, squamosal-quadratojugal flange; yc, Y-shaped crest.

Xu X, Norell MA, Kuang X, Wang X, Zhao Q, Jia C (2004) Basal tyrannosauroids from China and evidence for protofeathers in tyrannosauroids. Nature 431:680-684.