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The 2023 T. rex Skin Discovery Confirmed Scales on the Face. But Earlier Evidence Strongly Suggests the Body Had Feathers — at Least in Juveniles. The Reconstruction Is Still Being Written.

The T. rex you grew up with is incomplete. It may always be.

The story is in layers. The 2023 facial skin impression (Bell et al.) confirmed scales on the face — not feathers. This was taken by some media as proof that T. rex was fully scaly. That is not what the paper said.

What paleontologists know from the broader evidence:
The closest relatives of Tyrannosaurus — Yutyrannus huali from China, confirmed at 9 metres and carrying full body feathers — suggest that large tyrannosaurids likely had some feathering. Yutyrannus body feathers are confirmed from multiple specimens. Dilong paradoxus, a smaller early tyrannosaurid, also confirmed feathered.

The argument: as tyrannosaurs grew larger and became more massive, thermoregulation considerations may have favoured reduced feathering on adults — large animals overheat more easily. Juveniles may have been feathered for insulation. Adults may have retained feathers in specific regions (back, neck) while scales dominated the face and potentially more of the body.

The 2023 paper addressed the face only. It did not address the body. The body remains uncertain.

The reconstruction of T. rex is not settled. What we know for certain is incomplete. Every 3–4 years, a new fossil revises something.

Does it bother you that the most famous animal in history is still being revised — or is that exactly how good science should feel?

Paleontologists may have discovered when plant-eating dinosaurs evolved their long necks after a new species of sauropodomorph was found in Argentina.

The fossils of the new dinosaur species, named Huayracursor jaguensis, were found in the Santo Domingo Formation in the Andes of La Rioja province in northwestern Argentina, according to a paper published in Nature.

H. jaguensis likely lived during the Late Triassic period, between 201 million and 237 million years ago.

Read more: https://abcnews.visitlink.me/T08ygx

Meet Horridus, the most complete Triceratops fossil ever discovered on Earth. Unearthed in North America, this incredible specimen provides an unprecedented look at one of the most iconic horned dinosaurs of the Late Cretaceous period, roughly 68 to 66 million years ago.

Triceratops were herbivorous giants known for their massive skulls, three distinct facial horns, and large frills, which likely served for both defense and display. Horridus preserves nearly every major bone, offering researchers invaluable insights into Triceratops anatomy, growth, and even possible social behaviours. Its horns and frill are particularly well-preserved, allowing scientists to study their function in defense against predators like Tyrannosaurus rex and in interactions with other Triceratops.

This exceptional fossil helps paleontologists understand not just the size and structure of these horned dinosaurs, but also details about their movement, posture, and even potential herd behaviour. Fossils like Horridus bridge gaps in our knowledge of ceratopsians and the ecosystems of the Late Cretaceous, highlighting how these animals thrived alongside other prehistoric giants.

Strange Fact: Despite its fierce appearance, Triceratops like Horridus may have spent much of their time grazing peacefully, using their horns more for display and intraspecies competition than actual combat.

Babe, what's wrong? You've barely touched your triceramisu.