Most people think of Tyrannosaurus Rex as a giant Dinosaur which was not only big but also large and could charge down on its prey. This is the idea that has been imprinted in people’s minds thanks to popular culture and movies depicting the extinct creature. However, new studies indicate that the T. Rex was not as fast as it is believed widely. Scientists now point out that the dinosaur was probably much slower and was incapable of sprinting or running, even to catch its prey.
New studies reveal T. Rex was unable to run
It remained a mystery till date which concerned whether the T.Rex was capable of traversing huge distances in a short period.
Scientists found it a strange notion that a creature as large as the dinosaurs would be able to sprint with all of its weight and large stature. In a bid to answer this question once and for all, scientists from the University of Manchester ran computer simulations to figure out just how fast the dinosaurs could move.
Using such a method, the researchers were able to determine that the T. Rex could move at speeds of 12 miles per hour but not more. This indicated that the biped creature could not sprint and had to rely on simple walking for all its hunting needs. Based on only the muscle structure of these dinosaurs, scientists discovered, that it may have had a maximum movement speed of 18.64 miles per hour.
However, when the weight and structure of the bones were taken into consideration, it was concluded that the T. Rex could not move faster than 12 miles per hour.
Researchers revealed that moving faster than this would result in the dinosaur risking crushing its legs under its weight. This conclusively proves that the dinosaur in question was not a pursuit predator and could not outrun many of the smaller and faster creatures during the Cretaceous period.
Scientists used a highly realistic computer simulation to determine this data, which further reinforces the veracity of the conclusion.
How popular culture influenced perception of Tyrannosaurus Rex
The Jurassic Park franchise of films influenced the public a lot regarding the behavior and movement of dinosaurs. In those movies, the T.
Rex was always shown as a colossal dinosaur which could even chase down cars with its lightning speeds. However, now the study has proven that this was not true. It is, however, true that the dinosaur could chase down most sprinting human beings had men coexisted with these dangerous predators. Younger T. Rex was smaller and faster, but as they aged, their speeds also started decreasing with increased body size.
