1st adult T. rex trackway found by high school teacher
A high school teacher discovered 4 footprints that make up the 1st-ever known T. rex trackway. He discovered it at Hell Creek Formation in North Dakota. The post 1st adult T. rex trackway found by high school teacher first appeared on EarthSky .
A Colorado high school science teacher, Kent Hups, made an astonishing discovery while volunteering on a fossil dig in North Dakota. Among the numerous footprints he encountered, he identified a Tyrannosaurus rex footprint, and soon found three additional ones, forming what is now the first known adult T. rex trackway. The trackway is preserved in sandstone at the Hell Creek Formation and dates back to approximately 66.5 million years ago.
Measuring 23 feet (7 meters) in length, the footprints offer researchers a glimpse into the movements of the formidable predator. Kent Hups, now a co-author of the study, emphasized the importance of curiosity, passion, and careful observation in scientific discovery. Researchers published their findings on September 8, 2026, in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
The trackway comprises four significant footprints, each roughly 3 feet (1 meter) long, with two from the left foot and two from the right. The T. rex was believed to have been walking at a pace of about 3.5 to 4.5 miles per hour (5.6 to 7.2 kilometers per hour). The footprints are believed to be filled-in depressions made by the dinosaur's stepped in soft mud, which later hardened into rock.
The discovery of this trackway provides valuable insight into T. rex behavior and movement, offering a rare glimpse into the behavior of these extinct creatures.
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