Share this Story : The Sarnia Observer Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr

Making sense of the tiny arms of the tyrannosaur 

To understand why Tyrannosaurus rex ended up with such diminished limbs, we must first understand how natural selection functions.

The long history of life on Earth is often viewed as a progression toward perfection, but evolution is actually a much more practical and ruthless process of elimination.

It does not necessarily build the best possible version of a creature. Instead, it preserves the traits that work well enough to ensure survival and reproduction while discarding those that provide no benefit or actively hinder an animal. 

Making sense of the tiny arms of the tyrannosaur  Back to video

Few creatures illustrate this biological balancing act better than Tyrannosaurus rex. For decades, the massive carnivore has been a source of both awe and ridicule because of the comical disparity between its terrifying six-ton body and its tiny two foot long arms. However, in the unforgiving world of the Late Cretaceous, those small arms were not an evolutionary mistake. They were a strategic........

© Sarnia Observer