Researchers have utilized a chemical method to gauge the body temperature of two Tyrannosaurus rex dinosaurs, shedding light on the debate surrounding the warmth of dinosaurs. Lead by Aradhna Tripati, a professor and geochemist at the University of California, Los Angeles, the study was recently published in the journal Science Advances. Tripati explained the innovative technique to CBC’s Quirks & Quarks before her interview with host Bob McDonald.
Unlike living animals, taking the temperature of extinct dinosaurs required a unique approach involving analyzing hard tissues like tooth enamel and eggshells. These tissues contain bioapatite, a mineral where carbon atoms bond with oxygen. By measuring the isotope clumping in these tissues, scientists could estimate the body temperature of dinosaurs, including the T. rex.
Past research by UCLA scientists had suggested that titanosaurs and oviraptors were warm-blooded based on similar analyses of eggshells. To measure the body temperature of the T. rex, the team had to overcome challenges posed by the thin tooth enamel of these predators.
After successfully analyzing tooth enamel samples from a megalodon shark, the researchers obtained tiny samples from the teeth of a young T. rex, named Thomas, and another unidentified specimen. The analysis revealed that T. rex had a body temperature ranging from 33.8°C to 38.8°C, similar to large mammals like elephants and ostriches.
Tripati emphasized the significance of body temperature in determining animal behavior and habitat. The findings suggest that a warm-blooded T. rex could have thrived in various environments, including the Arctic. Paleontologist Anthony Fiorillo supported the study’s implications, indicating that it prompts further discussion on dinosaur adaptations in different climates.
Another study, led by François Therrien from the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Alberta, analyzed troodon eggshells and found them to have warm-blooded characteristics similar to birds. The newfound understanding of T. rex’s body temperature offers insights into its active lifestyle across diverse landscapes, potentially even crossing continents.
