Tyrannosaurus rex was slow
mongabay.com
June 7, 2007
Tyrannosaurus rex was a slow, lumbering beast according to new research published in the Journal of Theoretical Biology.
The research, led by biomechanics expert John Hutchinson, dispels the notion that T. rex was capable of running at speeds up to 45 miles per hour, as depicted in some Hollywood movies.
Hutchinson and colleagues used computer-modeling to calculate the weight of T. rex using a fossil specimen and then estimate its running speed and turning ability, according to a report from National Geographic News.
“We now know that a T. rex would have been front-heavy, turned slowly, and could manage no more than a leisurely jog,” Hutchinson is quoted as saying by National Geographic News.
The researchers say that adult T. rex probably averaged six to eight tons, about twice previous estimates.
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