News Paleontology

Ancient Extract: T. rex fossil yields recognizable protein

By Sid Perkins

- More than 2 years ago

New analyses of a Tyrannosaurus rex leg bone reveal that the fossil, which is 68 million years old, preserves substantial remnants of proteins. The chemical makeup of the protein fragments adds to earlier evidence that modern birds are closely related to dinosaurs.

CLOSE LOOK. Pattern and spacing of features seen in microscopic images (insets) of samples of a 68-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex leg bone provide evidence of preserved collagen.