New Study Reveals T-Rex Could Not Outrun Humans on Foot

Imagine the terror of watching an escaped T. rex chase a jeep at full speed in Jurassic Park. Many viewers remember this scene vividly. However, a new study suggests those characters might not have needed their vehicle after all. Research indicates humans could simply outrun these giants by foot. The king of dinosaurs was actually quite slow, moving at only 4 to 5mph according to the findings.

Compare that speed to an average Briton in excellent health. Walking pace sits around 4mph while running averages about 6.7mph. This means a fit person could easily keep up. It also raises questions about whether these creatures could ever really get a jog on. The debate remains active today among scientists and fans alike.

To understand the movement of this beast, researchers analyzed a specific trackway in southwestern North Dakota. They studied a site within the Hell Creek Formation that held four three-toed footprints. Each print measured roughly 3ft long with a narrow toe shape typical of a T. rex. Scientists from Liverpool John Moores University and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science led this investigation into dinosaur locomotion.

The team found the creature was enjoying a leisurely stroll at just 3.5 to 4.5mph when it made these tracks. Lead author Professor Peter Falkingham explained that the tracks show walking at about 2 metres per second. He noted this is slightly quicker than most people manage while strolling today. You might have needed to jog just to keep up with it back then.

Bones tell a lot about an animal but footprints capture a specific moment of behavior in time. Tyler Lyson, who contributed to the study, emphasized that trackways allow us to follow an animal moving across the landscape. Such evidence is incredibly rare for a T. rex fossil record. The researchers used 3D surface scanning to examine every detail before creating physical reproductions of the prints.

The specific trackway records two left and two right footprints with a stride of approximately 13ft between them. This suggests the dinosaur was walking at a pace of around 3.5 to 4.5mph during that moment. The average walking speed for an active person matches this range closely enough. Even British joggers manage better than 6.7mph on their regular runs.

Whether T. rexes could run has long been a matter of contention in the scientific community. In 2017, scientists from the University of Manchester suggested size and weight prevented high speed. However, a study earlier this year led by the College of the Atlantic claimed top speeds of 24.6mph were possible via tiptoe running. Professor Falkingham admits it is hard to say for certain from bones alone without sprinting trackways.

His team also addressed the notoriously short arms often criticized in films. He argues these limbs would not have slowed the dinosaur down significantly. If anything, lacking waving arms might have been a benefit during fast movement. Think of emus or cassowaries that keep their wings tucked close to the body when running fast. They face no problem moving quickly despite similar anatomy.