‘Teen Rex’ is set to make its debut and star in a new T. rex documentary, all thanks to the remarkable discovery made by three adventurous young boys. While hiking in North Dakota, these kids stumbled upon something truly extraordinary: the fossilized remains of a rare teenage Tyrannosaurus rex. Now affectionately dubbed “Teen Rex,” this fossil could offer invaluable insights into the growth and development of the mighty Cretaceous dinosaur.
The trio, aged 7 to 10, encountered the young T. rex fossils during a trek through the Hell Creek Formation in the Badlands of North Dakota in 2022. Their contribution didn’t end there; in 2023, they played a pivotal role in excavating a series of bones belonging to this adolescent dinosaur.
This partial skeleton, one of only a handful of juvenile T. rex specimens ever unearthed, is slated to go on display at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science later this month. Its unveiling coincides with the release of a captivating new documentary titled “T. rex,” which chronicles the thrilling discovery.
“Juvenile [T.] rex specimens are exceedingly rare,” remarked Tyler Lyson, a vertebrate paleontologist at the museum leading the excavation of “Teen Rex.” “This find holds immense significance for researchers as it may provide crucial insights into the adolescence of the king of dinosaurs.”
According to Catalyst, the museum’s online magazine, ‘Teen Rex’ measured 25 feet (7.6 meters) in length and weighed approximately 3,500 pounds (1,600 kilograms) when it perished over 66 million years ago. For comparison, a fully grown T. rex reached lengths of about 40 feet (12 meters) and weighed around 8,000 pounds (3,600 kilograms).
The discovery unfolded when brothers Liam and Jessin Fisher, along with their father Sam Fisher and cousin Kaiden Madsen, spotted a sizable fossil protruding from a rock formation. Sam Fisher, a former classmate of Lyson, promptly notified the paleontologist, setting the stage for an extraordinary excavation adventure. Joined by Liam and Jessin’s sister, 14-year-old Emalynn Fisher, Lyson’s team commenced digging 11 months later, unearthing a treasure trove of fossils that included a telltale T. rex tooth.
Using the length of the adolescent T. rex’s tibia as a reference, estimated at 32.3 inches (82 centimeters), researchers inferred its teenage status. Further analysis of the bones will be conducted at the museum as part of a new temporary exhibit called “Discovering Teen Rex,” opening June 21.
The “T. rex” documentary, premiering the same day, promises to showcase footage from the ‘Teen Rex’ excavation and employ cutting-edge CGI to depict the life stages of T. rex, from hatchling to adult.
“It’s truly remarkable to contemplate the growth trajectory of T. rex, from a hatchling the size of a kitten to the formidable 40-foot, 8,000-pound predator we know,” remarked Thomas Holtz, lead adviser of “T. Rex” and a vertebrate paleontologist at the University of Maryland. “Discoveries like ‘Teen Rex’ have the potential to provide invaluable insights into these earlier life stages, where rapid growth likely occurred.”
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