By: Helen Huang

How big is a T-Rex? Bigger than a tree? Bigger than a bus? Well, a new study shows that the T-Rex may be bigger than we thought. It may even be bigger than a small house!

A study using computers found that the largest T-Rex could be much bigger than the current known largest specimen. New research even shows that it may even be 70% heavier and 25% longer than was originally believed; it can even weigh 15 tons and measure 15 meters. Whoa, that’s a lot! It’s even bigger than the currently known specimens from fossils.

Instead of fossils, in the journal Ecology and Evolution, the latest research uses computer modeling. The model is based on examples of living alligators, chosen for their big size and close relationship with dinosaurs.

Dr. Jordan Mallon of the Canadian Museum of Nature worked on the project. He said: “Our study suggests that, for big fossils (like the T-Rex), we have no idea from the fossil record about the absolute sizes they might have reached.” Dr. David Hone of Queen Mary University of London said this could also affect research of the dinosaurs. “It’s important to stress that this isn’t really about T-Rex, which is the basis of our study.”

Oh, right, we have an interesting thought: Why does the research use alligators for a model but not birds? Birds also have close relationships with the T-Rex and other dinosaurs! How curious! Regardless of the research used, I think dinosaurs are amazing. The T-Rex could even grow as big as a small house! What makes them that big? I also want to grow big!

Image Credit by Mehmet Turgut Kirkgoz