Study Finds T. rex Bigger and Faster

In a new study just published in the journal PLoS One, a team of scientists led by Professor John R. Hutchinson of The Royal Veterinary College, London, and Peter Makovicky, PhD, curator of dinosaurs at The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago applied cutting edge technology and computer modeling to “weigh” five Tyrannosaurus rex specimens, including The Field Museum’s iconic SUE skeleton. Their results reveal that T. rex grew more quickly and reached significantly greater masses than previously estimated.

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SUE Scan in Progess

Visitors were able to watch SUE's full body scan in progress.

Comparison of the fleshed out models of the largest (SUE) and smallest (Jane) specimens used in the study, along with a human figure for scale. These are scientific models constructed for calculation of physical properties and are therefore not embellished with aesthetic details.

A schematic picture of how the models were designed using SUE as an example. (Top)The scanned skeleton is ‘straightened’ to make it symmetrical, which simplifies modeling of body cross-sections. (Middle) A body volume is wrapped around the skeleton. (Bottom) Body volumes were modeled at three different levels of ‘fleshiness’ - the graphic illustrates the difference between the skinniest (olive) and fattest (grey) versions. The correct estimate is assumed to lie between these extremes.