T. rex temperature taken for first time
Geochemical study compares the body heat of the Terror of the Cretaceous with crocs and clams, and finds the latter were cold-blooded. T. rex was not
For the first time, scientists have directly measured the body temperature of Tyrannosaurus rex, a towering mega-carnivore from the Cretaceous period. According to a study published in Science Advances, the dinosaur's body temperature was found to be 36.3°C with a margin of error of 2.5°C, much like that of today's elephants. This suggests that T. rex was not a cold-blooded dinosaur, as previously assumed, but rather a warm-blooded one.
The research team, led by Randon Flores of the University of California-Los Angeles and Aradhna Tripati of the University of Bristol, analyzed the isotopic composition of T. rex teeth, which contain a chemical "thermometer" that records the temperature at which the enamel formed. The isotopic signal in the teeth matched the internal temperature of modern crocodiles, but was higher than that of crocodiles and clams living in the same time period, indicating that T. rex had a warmer body temperature.
The study provides independent support for the long-held belief that tyrannosaurs were warm-blooded, and sets the stage for further exploration of the evolution of endothermy in theropods, the group of dinosaurs that includes T. rex and birds.
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