T. Rex Teeth Indicate Body Temperature Similar to Humans

WHO:

CNN - Robert Eagle, a geobiologist and associate professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, coauthored the study.

CNN - Aradhna Tripati, a climate scientist and professor of geochemistry at UCLA, is the senior study author.

IJR - T. rex is the subject of the study, indicating it was likely warm-blooded.

Phys.org - Scientists studying T. rex and its evolutionary traits.

WHAT:

CNN - The study provides the first direct estimate of T. rex’s body temperature, approximately 97 degrees Fahrenheit (36 degrees Celsius), which is similar to humans.

CNN - The researchers used a technique that analyzes chemical signatures preserved in fossil teeth to estimate T. rex's body temperature.

CNN - The estimated body temperature of T. rex suggests it could have inhabited a broad stretch of North America, from what is now Mexico to Alaska.

CNN - The researchers spent more than a decade perfecting the method to measure temperature from chemical bonds preserved in tooth enamel, reducing the amount of fossil material needed by roughly 90%.

CNN - The researchers hope to apply the temperature-measuring technique to other ancient species, potentially reaching even further back in evolutionary history.

CNN - A fossilized footprint of T. rex discovered in Alaska in 2022 contributed to evidence that these predators could thrive in cold environments.

CNN - The study published in Science Advances provides the first direct estimate of T. rex’s body temperature, which is approximately 97 degrees Fahrenheit (36 degrees Celsius).

CNN - The researchers used a technique that analyzes chemical signatures preserved in fossil teeth to estimate T. rex's body temperature.

CNN - The estimated body temperature of T. rex suggests it could have inhabited a broad stretch of North America, from what is now Mexico to Alaska.

CNN - The study provides the first direct estimate of T. rex’s body temperature, approximately 97 degrees Fahrenheit (36 degrees Celsius).

CNN - The researchers used two small portions of teeth from Thomas the T. rex, an approximately 70% complete skeleton held at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, to measure the dinosaur's body temperature.

IJR - T. rex had a body temperature around 97.3°F, similar to humans and elephants.

IJR - Chemical analysis of fossilized tooth enamel was used to determine T. rex's body temperature.

Phys.org - The presence of fossils in Alaska suggests T. rex was on the evolutionary path from cold-blooded reptile to warm-blooded avian.

WHERE:

Phys.org - Fossils of T. rex were found in North America, specifically mentioned in Alaska.

WHY:

IJR - The studies published in Science Advances strengthen the case for T. rex maintaining endothermy and being an active, heat-regulated hunter.

HOW:

CNN - The researchers spent more than a decade perfecting the method to measure the temperature from chemical bonds preserved in tooth enamel, reducing the amount of fossil material needed by roughly 90%.

IJR - Multiple studies published in Science Advances provided evidence for the warm-blooded nature of T. rex through chemical analysis.

(UPDATED September 17, 2026 10:59 UTC)

A new study has revealed that the body temperature of T. rex was approximately 97 degrees Fahrenheit, which is quite similar to that of humans. Researchers spent over a decade perfecting a method that analyzes chemical signatures in fossil teeth, allowing them to estimate this temperature while significantly reducing the amount of fossil material needed. They hope to apply this innovative technique to other ancient species, potentially unlocking insights into even earlier chapters of evolutionary history.

(UPDATED September 17, 2026 01:23 UTC)

A recent study published in Science Advances reveals that a fossilized footprint of T. rex discovered in Alaska supports the idea that these formidable predators thrived in cold environments. Researchers have estimated T. rex's body temperature to be around 97 degrees Fahrenheit, using a technique that analyzes chemical signatures in fossil teeth, which they spent over a decade perfecting. This finding suggests that T. rex could have roamed a vast area of North America, stretching from present-day Mexico all the way to Alaska.

(UPDATED September 16, 2026 23:05 UTC)

A groundbreaking study coauthored by Robert Eagle, a geobiologist at UCLA, and led by climate scientist Aradhna Tripati, has provided the first direct estimate of the body temperature of T. rex, revealing it to be around 97 degrees Fahrenheit. The researchers analyzed two small portions of teeth from Thomas the T. rex, a nearly complete skeleton housed at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, to arrive at this finding. After more than a decade of work, they perfected a method that measures temperature from chemical bonds in tooth enamel, significantly reducing the fossil material required for analysis by about 90 percent.

(UPDATED September 16, 2026 21:03 UTC)

Recent studies have revealed that T. rex likely had a body temperature around 97.3°F, similar to that of humans and elephants, suggesting it was warm-blooded. Researchers conducted chemical analyses of fossilized tooth enamel and discovered fossils in Alaska, indicating that T. rex was evolving from cold-blooded reptiles to warm-blooded avians. These findings, published in Science Advances, bolster the argument that T. rex was an active, heat-regulated hunter.