Could You Outrun a Hungry Tyrannosaurus Rex?

(Image: Universal Pictures)

If you're with someone at the time, then, like the old joke says, you don't have to outrun the T-Rex. You just have to outrun your friend.

But what if there's no one else available to distract the hungry Tyrannosaurus Rex? Good news, everyone! According to calculations that scientists made from preserved footprints, you can probably outrun a T-Rex--at least for a short distance. Discover magazine reports:

The researchers estimated the walking speed of the T. rex to be 2.7 to 5 mph, which is much slower than, say, Usain Bolt, who clocks in a maximum sprinting speed of 27.3 mph. For context, the average walking speed for a human hovers around 3 mph. The calculated speed indicates T. rex was traveling at a slow trot, and at a speed similar to other large carnivorous dinosaurs. Still, even when walking, tyrannosaurs moved covered more ground in a single step than the large herbivores that they coexisted with and presumably hunted. Researchers published their Glenrock trackway findings in the journal Cretaceous Research.

But how does this fit with previous estimates of T. rex speed, based on other lines of evidence? Tony Martin, a trace fossil expert and professor at Emory University and unaffiliated with the study, said the new findings are in line with past estimates.

“Biomechanical studies of tyrannosaur bones, combined with calculations of their musculature and computer models, tell us that tyrannosaurs were more suited for walking and probably could not outrun, say, a jeep,” says Martin. [...]

Based on the evidence, it seems like anyone in decent shape could’ve outrun a T. rex.

-via Ace of Spades HQ


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A decent human sprinter can beat a horse for maybe 40-50 yards. After that it's no contest. I remember seeing that done as a stunt in college.
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Ok, you may "outrun" a walking T-rex.. maybe...
And probably a jeep could outrun even a running t-rex...

However it is so sad that none of these animals ara available to put it to a test to see if Tony Martin or Scott Pearson could actually outrun a hungry and hunting T-rex... not only one that is just taking a walk...

Remember that it is completely impossible to outrun e.g. an Elephant... travelling at only 11mph... or a rhino that may run at speeds between 25-31 mph...
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