Scientists Just Found a Dino Artifact We’ve Never Seen Before—and It’s Answering a Major Riddle

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1. 1h ago

   Scientists Identify First Likely Adult T. rex Trackway

   Researchers have identified the first likely trackway of an adult Tyrannosaurus rex in North Dakota. Discovered by a high school teacher who found two giant footprints, the site provides a series of prints that offer data on the dinosaur's walking speed. This discovery reveals behavioral and locomotive details that skeletal remains alone cannot provide, filling a significant gap in the understanding of how the apex predator moved across the terrain.

   Why it matters

   Skeletal fossils show anatomy but cannot demonstrate active movement. Trackways allow paleontologists to calculate stride and pace to estimate velocity. This find represents a first for the species in the fossil record.

   What is confirmed

   • A high school teacher discovered two giant footprints that led to the identification of a T. rex trackway.
   • The first likely Tyrannosaurus rex trackway was identified in North Dakota.
   • The series of adult T. rex footprints provides information regarding the dinosaur's walking speed.

   What to watch next

   • Peer-reviewed publication of the specific walking speed calculations
   • Discovery of additional trackways to determine if movement patterns were consistent across the species
   Sources used for this update (6)

   1. Yahoo — Scientists Just Found a Dino Artifact We’ve Never Seen Before—and It’s Answering a Major Riddle
   2. CNN — A high school teacher stumbled across two giant footprints — and marked a first for science
   3. Science News — First series of adult T. rex footprints hints at its walking speed
   4. The Economic Times — Scientists found something T. rex bones could never show: First known trackway reveals how the dinosaur ac
   5. Межа. Новини України. — Scientists identify the first likely Tyrannosaurus rex trackway in North Dakota
   6. a-z-animals.com — Prehistoric Sharks Resurface After 325 Million Years: Scientists Stunned By The Discovery
   confidence 90%