Jurassic Park a lie; T. rex couldn't run says latest research

In what was possibly the most memorable piece of cinematic history, Stephen Spielberg’s Jurassic Park has a scene in which an injured Jeff Goldblum is chased by an agile Tyrannosaurus rex. The scene managed to reinforce the primal fear of this gigantic ‘tyrant lizard’ chasing and hunting us down. However, new research now tells us that this would have been highly unlikely since the T. rex could not have outrun a human, let alone a car in full speed.

What is it about the T. rex that continues to fascinate paleontologists and laypersons alike? This is not the first time the gait of the T. rex has been studied. New research from the University of Manchester published in the journal PeerJ states that the size and weight of a T. rex would not have let it run or sprint. In the event it did try, its bones would have buckled under its own weight.

The research used the latest high-performance computing technology from N8 High Performance Computing (HPC) to create a new simulation model. The study that was led by Professor William Sellers from the University’s School of Earth and Environmental Sciences combines two biomechanical techniques known as multibody dynamic analysis (MBDA) and skeletal stress analysis (SSA) to create an extremely accurate simulation. Previous studies had concluded the T. rex could run at 45mph; however, the new research says that it would have been impossible for it to clock more than 16.5 mph.

The results also shed light on the fact that the T. rex probably led a less athletic life than previously predicted and couldn’t chase its prey at high speed. The research also brings up the question whether other two-legged dinosaurs faced the same problems and whether the calculations for other dinosaurs have been compromised.

Image source: Google images