ORNL Neutron Imaging Technology Reveals Healed Rib Fracture in Tyrannosaurus Rex Fossil
Neutron imaging technology at the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has helped researchers from the University of Regina in Canada and other institutions observe rare healing signs inside the fossilized bones of a Tyrannosaurus rex, providing new insights into ancient life from approximately 66 million years ago. The subject of this study is a fractured rib from "Scotty," the largest Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ever discovered. Researchers found that this rib preserved a wound-healing process rarely seen in the fossil record: after the fracture occurred, iron-rich blood entered the injured area and formed a network of blood vessels to promote healing; however, before the rib had fully healed, Scotty died and was preserved in a salt marsh environment, which slowed the decomposition of the remains...
2026-09-07
