Tyrannosaurus (Rex)

The star among dinosaurs

Tyrannosaurus rex is certainly the most famous of all dinosaurs. He appears again and again in films, books, series, and other media. For many palaeontologists, he is the most important fossil of all time, an icon of science.

Although Tyrannosaurus, which lived on the plains of North America during the Cretaceous period, could not see very well (although the latest scientific research suggests that Tyrannosaurus could see well, however, this thesis is a new and controversial topic among palaeontologists), it possessed an excellent sense of smell and, as its most dangerous weapon, a huge mouth with a biting force of over a tonne. Its powerful jaw, over a metre long and equipped with dagger teeth up to 20 cm long, could effortlessly break bones and shred organs and flesh.

Tyrannosaurus rex could tear up to 10 kg of flesh and bones out of a prey animal at once. But it didn't chew, it gobbled it all down immediately. This was not without danger. Scientists were able to prove on a Tyrannosaurus skeleton that the animal had choked on two large bones.

The title "Rex", which is often given to Tyrannosaurus, actually belongs to Giganotosaurus. The South American relative was taller by half a metre.