Scientists Determine T. Rex’s Body Temperature
NEW YORK (AP) — Researchers have recently utilized fossilized teeth to measure the body temperature of the T. rex, discovering that it closely resembles our own.
For a long time, scientists believed dinosaurs were cold-blooded and sluggish. However, new evidence has emerged suggesting that many older dinosaurs were likely warm-blooded, capable of regulating their body temperature.
While most experts accept that the Tyrannosaurus rex was warm-blooded, determining its precise core temperature poses a significant challenge.
“We can’t just use a thermometer to do that,” remarked Jasmina Wiemann, a paleobiologist at Johns Hopkins University who was not involved in the latest research.
Efforts to understand T. rex’s temperature included studying its growth patterns and searching for indicators within its bones, but the exact temperature remained elusive.
In a fresh study, researchers focused on uncovering chemical signals found in the dinosaur’s teeth. They discovered that the arrangement of atoms within the enamel varies according to body temperature.
“We figured out how warm the most famous animal of all, a T. rex, was,” shared co-author Aradhna Tripati, a geochemist at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Analysis of three teeth indicated that the average body temperature was around 97 degrees Fahrenheit (36 degrees Celsius). This value is comparable to that of modern elephants and not too distant from human average body temperature, which spans from 97 to 99 degrees Fahrenheit (36 to 37 degrees Celsius).
The results of this study were published on Wednesday in the journal Science Advances.
“I almost would have expected a higher body temperature,” Wiemann noted. Based on her previous research, she had anticipated that the predator could have been several degrees warmer—similar to today’s birds, which are considered the warm-blooded descendants of dinosaurs.
Understanding whether the T. rex was hot or cold-blooded can aid scientists in reconstructing the dinosaur’s lifestyle. At a temperature of 97 degrees (36 degrees Celsius), it seems T. rex could have thrived across most of prehistoric North America, with the ability to maintain a consistent internal temperature in both cooler and warmer climates. This information could provide insight into the types of prey it needed to hunt to sustain its energy levels.
Experts emphasize the importance of applying these methods to other dinosaur species to better understand their thermal characteristics. T. rex’s temperature may have played a crucial role in establishing it as one of the top predators of its time.
“There are many fascinating and charismatic species that could be examined using this approach,” concluded study co-author Robert Eagle, a geobiologist at UCLA.
