Neutron imaging reveals preserved blood vessels in T. rex skeleton

The short version

• Researchers used non-invasive X-ray and neutron imaging to discover a fossilized network of blood vessels inside a fractured rib from Scotty, the world's largest known T. rex skeleton.[ScienceDaily]
• The 66-million-year-old structures formed while the dinosaur was healing from an injury prior to its death.[ScienceDaily]
• A unique environment in a salty marsh slowed decomposition and enabled the rare preservation of soft tissue structures.[ScienceDaily]
• Scientists plan to analyze additional data and compare patterns of bone injury and healing across different prehistoric species.[ScienceDaily]

Key facts

• Scotty, the largest known T. rex skeleton, was originally discovered in Saskatchewan's Frenchman River Valley by the Royal Saskatchewan Museum.[ScienceDaily]
• Scientists utilized non-invasive micro-CT and neutron imaging at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to inspect the interior of a 66-million-year-old rib.[ScienceDaily]
• The imaging showed a rare preserved network of blood vessels that grew while the dinosaur was actively healing from a rib fracture.[ScienceDaily]
• Preservation of these soft tissue structures was made possible by decomposition-slowing conditions in a salty marsh where the dinosaur died.[ScienceDaily]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.

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