T. rex teeth indicate it ran as warm as an elephant
Isotope ratios provide a hint that the giants were actively managing temperatures.
For decades, the Tyrannosaurus rex was depicted as a sluggish, sun-warming reptile, before research revealed it as a fast-moving, bird-like creature akin to those seen in Jurassic Park. However, the question of whether T. rex possessed warm blood to fuel its activity persisted. UCLA geochemists Randon J. Flores and Robert A. Eagle may have provided a clearer answer through an innovative method: analyzing the T. rex's teeth.
Their findings indicate that the dinosaur's body temperature hovered around 36° Celsius, akin to that of an elephant. For years, paleontologists have debated dinosaur physiology using indirect evidence like bone structure, growth rates, and fossil distribution. Some studies proposed a warm-blooded lifestyle for many dinosaurs, similar to birds and mammals, while others maintained that each lineage might have its own thermal strategy.
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- T. rex teeth indicate it ran as warm as an elephant arstechnica.com
