T-Rex Bigger and Hungrier Than Previously Thought

T-Rex Bigger and Hungrier Than Previously Thought: gpronger writes "Researcher John Hutchinson (Royal Veterinary College in London) and Peter Makovicky (Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago) built digital models of a T-rex and then added flesh using the structure of soft tissues in birds and crocodiles as a guide. This allowed them to project body mass. By doing this for a number of specimens of different age and size, they could also evaluate growth. At maximum, the adolescents could add 11 pounds in weight in a single day. The adult was found to be 30% heavier than earlier estimates at more than 9 tons. With the size and appetite, it would lead also to the perspective that they would need a large range, and therefore also be relatively rare in the ecosystem of the time."



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