Scientists have been debating for a long time about whether certain dinosaurs were warm-blooded. Now, a recent study claims to have determined the body temperature of two T. rex dinosaurs using a chemical analysis method.
Aradhna Tripati, a professor and geochemist at the University of California, Los Angeles, explained that traditional methods of measuring temperature in living creatures could not be applied to extinct dinosaurs like T. rex, which became extinct around 66 million years ago.
Instead, researchers utilized a chemical technique that examines variations in hard tissues such as tooth enamel and eggshells. These tissues contain a mineral called bioapatite, where the bonding of carbon atoms with oxygen can provide insights into temperature conditions. By analyzing the “isotope clumping” in living animals with different temperatures, scientists can estimate the body temperature of extinct animals, including dinosaurs.
In a previous study, UCLA scientists used this method on eggshells from titanosaurs and oviraptors, concluding that these dinosaurs were warm-blooded. To analyze the body temperature of T. rex, researchers had to overcome challenges related to the thin tooth enamel of tyrannosaurs. They successfully estimated the body temperature of a T. rex named Thomas to be between 33.8 C and 38.8 C, comparable to large mammals like elephants.
This discovery has implications for understanding the behavior and habitat range of T. rex. The findings suggest that a warm-blooded T. rex could have had a versatile lifestyle, potentially inhabiting regions like the Arctic. Paleontologists, including Anthony Fiorillo, have found this study to be compelling, offering new insights into how dinosaurs may have adapted to different environments.
François Therrien, a curator of dinosaur paleoecology, also used isotope clumping to analyze eggshells of troodons, revealing their warm-blooded nature. While the study sheds light on the metabolic activity of T. rex, debates continue regarding the specifics of their warm-blooded metabolism and food requirements.