T. rex tooth shows dinosaur’s body heat matched that of humans

A 66‑million‑year‑old Tyrannosaurus rex tooth indicates the giant predator kept a body temperature of about 97 °F, roughly the same as people and elephants. Researchers say the finding points to the species being warm‑blooded rather than cold‑blooded. The study was carried out by scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles, who examined the fossil tooth for temperature clues. Earlier theories argued that dinosaurs might have been sluggish cold‑blooded reptiles, but this new evidence pushes the view toward high metabolic rates. The temperature estimate aligns with other recent work suggesting that large theropods could regulate their heat like modern mammals. If T. rex maintained such warmth, it would have been able to sustain fast bursts of speed and active hunting, traits expected of a top predator. The result also helps explain how the dinosaur could grow to over 12 metres while still supporting its massive body. The discovery adds a fresh piece to the puzzle of dinosaur biology, showing that some ancient creatures were more like today’s warm‑blooded animals than long‑dead reptiles.