Study finds T. rex moved at a leisurely 3.5-4.5 mph, slower than a fit human jog
Analysis of a North Dakota trackway shows the iconic dinosaur walked at roughly 3.5-4.5 mph, a pace humans could easily outrun.
A collaborative research team from Liverpool John Moores University and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science studied a 23-foot T. rex trackway uncovered in the Hell Creek Formation of southwestern North Dakota. The trackway contains four large, three-toed footprints, each roughly 3 ft long, with a stride length of about 13 ft. Measurements suggest the dinosaur was moving at 2 m/s, equivalent to 3.5-4.5 mph. This speed is comparable to the average walking pace of a fit Briton and slower than a typical jogging speed of 6.7 mph, meaning humans could have outrun the animal.
Researchers employed 3D surface scanning to create detailed replicas of the prints, allowing precise analysis of gait. While previous studies have debated the T. rex’s ability to run, the authors acknowledge no sprinting trackways have been found, though they do not entirely dismiss the possibility. The work demonstrates how fossil footprints can capture behavioral moments that skeletal remains alone cannot reveal.
