BOXTEL, Netherlands – A Dutch museum has unveiled a remarkably preserved fossilized scale from a Tyrannosaurus rex, discovered in the United States and estimated to be approximately 67 million years old. The Primal-time museum in Boxtel announced the find, which offers unprecedented insight into the dinosaur’s early life, potentially reshaping understanding of T. rex growth.
The scale, found in Wyoming, is believed to have come from a young T. rex still within its egg. Museum director Linda Fraaije stated the finding has already garnered critically important international attention, with a study published in a peer-reviewed science magazine and ongoing discussions with National Geographic. “We have also been to museums in the US and we are busy coming to the well-known Science magazine National Geographic,” Fraaije said. The museum anticipates further discoveries as research continues at the Wyoming site, focusing on locating additional nesting areas.
The fossilized scale was identified during research conducted over nine weeks in the US state. Researchers believe the scale’s pristine condition-angular and unweathered-suggests the presence of more fossilized remains nearby. “The piece is so well preserved, angular and not rolled down that there should be more pieces in the neighborhood,” Fraaije expects. The discovery promises to draw increased interest to the Primal-time museum and contribute to ongoing paleontological research.