Study Estimates Tyrannosaurus rex Body Temperature Around 97°F
Analysis of fossilized teeth suggests the extinct predator maintained an average body temperature near 97 degrees Fahrenheit, comparable to modern humans and elephants.
Scientists have estimated the average body temperature of Tyrannosaurus rex at about 97 degrees Fahrenheit, based on chemical analysis of three fossilized teeth, according to a study published in Science Advances. The temperature range aligns closely with that of modern humans (97-99°F) and elephants.
The research team examined patterns in enamel atoms that vary with body heat, allowing them to infer the dinosaur’s internal temperature. "We figured out how warm the most famous animal of all, a T. rex, was," said co-author Aradhna Tripati, a geochemist at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Tripati added that a stable temperature of roughly 97°F would have enabled T. rex to inhabit a wide range of prehistoric North American climates and may have influenced its hunting behavior and energy requirements. The authors suggest applying the same methodology to other dinosaur species to better understand their thermoregulation.