Baby Tyrannosaurs were about the size of a bordered college, according to a study published on Monday when they took their first steps – despite growing up to 40 feet.
A team of paleontologists made the discovery by examining the first-known fossils of Tyrannosaur embryos.
Edinburgh paleontologist Greg Funtston said in a statement, “These bones are the first window to the early life of the oppressors and they teach us about the size and appearance of infant atrocities.”
The researchers, led by Funtston, used fossilized remains of a small jaw bone and claw, unearthed in Montana and Alberta, Canada, and created a 3D scan to analyze the bones.
Their findings suggest that the flesh-eating creatures – cousins of the T-rex dinosaur, who lived more than 70 million years ago – were only 3 feet long when they hatched.
This would make them aware of the size of the common dog breed – and much larger than the baby dinos seen in movies like “Jurassic Park”.
“The hatchling atrocity would be one of the largest animals to hatch from an egg,” Funston wrote in a blog post about the research.
His team also estimated that tortured eggs would be about 17 inches long – researchers said could help identify such eggs more easily in the future and gain more insight into the nesting habits of creatures.
Researchers said further analysis showed that the torturers were born with distinct physical symptoms, including “a pronounced chin” – making them look “remarkably like their parents” Which can lift up to 8 tons, the researchers said.
“These are just the first clues to understanding the atrocities of the child,” Funtston wrote, “but now we know where to look for us, and what we are looking for.”
The study was published in the Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences and included researchers from the universities of Alberta, Calgary, Montana State and Chapman, California.
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