T. rex couldn't run but it had a great excuse
The massive dinosaur with the tiny arms had a good reason for not running, researchers say.
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T. rex probably didn't engage in any high-speed chases after prey, say researchers.
The mighty Tyrannosaurus rex may have avoided running just as much as you do, but the dinosaur had a better excuse.
T. rex's legs might have broken under its enormous size and weight, according to new research from the University of Manchester. The researchers came to the conclusion after zeroing in on the gait and biomechanics of T. rex using high-performance computing tech.
The team developed a simulation model that combined two biomechanical techniques: multibody dynamic analysis and skeletal stress analysis. It's the first time the two have been used together to assess the walking and running ability of dinosaurs, according to a news release. The research was published Tuesday in the journal PeerJ.
Professor William Sellers, who led the team, said the findings show running would've led to "unacceptably high skeletal loads" for a T. rex. That also meant no high-speed chases after prey, much to the relief of prey that could outrun the beast.
Don't feel too bad for T. rex though. Even though T. rex was more of the lumbering type, it could still pulverize whatever it caught with powerful jaws.
Plus, its very own Monopoly game token arrives this fall.