Tooth Study Shows T. Rex Was Warmblooded
WASHINGTON (Reuters) — Using chemical clues in Tyrannosaurus rex teeth, scientists have shown that this massive predator was warm-blooded — with a body temperature close to that of a person — in a finding they said should prompt a fundamental change in the perception of the celebrity dinosaur.
A recent study using chemical analysis of Tyrannosaurus rex teeth has revealed that the massive predator was warm-blooded, with a body temperature close to that of a human. This finding challenges the long-held belief that the dinosaur was a sluggish, cold-blooded reptile. The researchers analyzed three T. rex teeth unearthed in Montana and found that their enamel indicated a body temperature of 36.3 C, plus or minus 2.5 C. For comparison, the average human body temperature is 37 C, making the T. rex's temperature nearly identical.
The study's lead author, UCLA geoscientist Aradhna Tripati, explained that a body temperature of 36 C is not dependent on external conditions and is therefore more similar to that of an elephant or an ostrich than a crocodile. This discovery suggests that Tyrannosaurus was a more mobile and adaptable animal than previously thought, capable of inhabiting various environments, including cold ones.
The researchers used a technique called "clumped isotopes" to determine the dinosaurs' body temperatures, which involves analyzing the ratio of certain isotopes of carbon and oxygen present in the enamel. This method provides a precise measure of body temperature, as the enamel forms inside the animal at its body temperature. The findings were published in the journal Science Advances on September 16.
Written by urgent.news from The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
