T. rex body temperature study
A new study published in Science Advances has produced the first direct estimate of Tyrannosaurus rex's body temperature, putting it at roughly 97 degrees Fahrenheit (36 Celsius) -- close to that of humans and well above the 82-86 F range typical of cold-blooded reptiles like crocodiles. Researchers led by UCLA geobiologist Robert Eagle and climate scientist Aradhna Tripati analyzed isotope bonds preserved in tooth enamel from 'Thomas,' a roughly 70%-complete T. rex skeleton at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County; because those chemical bonds form at temperature-dependent rates, measuring them let the team calculate the temperature at which the enamel originally formed. The team spent more than a decade shrinking the amount of fossil material the technique required by about 90%, finally allowing the museum to release small samples for testing.
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