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Science Advances Study Finds T. rex Was ~36°C Warm-Blooded

By Drooid · Sep 16, 2026, 11:06 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

UCLA T Rex Warmth

UCLA researchers measured Tyrannosaurus rex body temperature using isotopes in tooth enamel.
Three Hell Creek teeth gave 97.3 °F (36.3 °C) ± 4.5 °F, ranging 33.8 °C–38.8 °C.
Same-site crocodile teeth showed about 86 °F (30 °C), confirming T. rex was warmer than its environment.
Climate models indicate a 36 °C T. rex could inhabit most of Cretaceous North America, from Mexico to the Arctic.
The study was published Wednesday in Science Advances.

Summary

Chiappe Defends Sampling

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County supplied two tooth fragments after the technique’s sample size dropped about 90 %.
Curator Luis Chiappe said sacrificing tiny tooth portions is justified to gain new knowledge about extinct species.
The research received partial funding from the National Science Foundation for the isotopic analysis work.
Thomas the T. rex, a 34-foot, 17-year-old specimen, has become a key reference for dinosaur physiology studies.

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UCLA T Rex Warmth

UCLA researchers measured Tyrannosaurus rex body temperature using isotopes in tooth enamel.
Three Hell Creek teeth gave 97.3 °F (36.3 °C) ± 4.5 °F, ranging 33.8 °C–38.8 °C.
Same-site crocodile teeth showed about 86 °F (30 °C), confirming T. rex was warmer than its environment.
Climate models indicate a 36 °C T. rex could inhabit most of Cretaceous North America, from Mexico to the Arctic.
The study was published Wednesday in Science Advances.

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