The mighty Tyrannosaurus rex didn’t grow to its massive size as fast as scientists once thought. A new study in the Journal Peer reveals that T. rex grew more slowly and lived longer than earlier estimates suggested.
Researchers looked at bones from 17 different T. rex specimens using polarized light. They found more growth rings than anyone had noticed before. This discovery indicates that T. rex didn’t reach its impressive weight of about eight tons until it was around 35 to 40 years old. Previously, experts believed T. rex peaked at around 25 years old and died soon after.
Holly Woodward, the lead author of the study, explained that T. rex spent much of its life in a mid-sized body range rather than quickly reaching full size. The spacing of those growth rings shows that food availability and environmental conditions influenced its growth.
This slower growth gave T. rex an edge as a top predator. By growing gradually over many years, it could eat a variety of prey sizes throughout its life. This adaptability allowed it to thrive before becoming the giant that competed mainly with other T. rex for resources.
Recent studies indicate that T. rex’s longer lifespan might be common in other dinosaur species as well. According to paleontologists, these patterns suggest that many dinosaurs grew slowly, giving them more time to occupy different ecological roles.
The findings have sparked social media reactions, with many users fascinated by how these creatures lived and adapted over time. It adds depth to our understanding of dinosaur biology, showing that life’s timeline can be very different from what we assumed.
For those interested in more on this topic, you can read the full study here: Journal Peer and see additional insights on CNN’s coverage here.
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