In a remarkable discovery that has captivated the paleontology community, three young boys stumbled upon the fossilized remains of a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex during a family hike in the Badlands of North Dakota.
The trio of adventurers – Jessin Fisher, 12, his brother Liam, 9, and their cousin Kaiden Madsen, 11 – were exploring the fossil-rich terrain near Marmarth, North Dakota, when Liam spotted a “white thing” in the grass. Upon closer inspection, the boys realized they had discovered a dinosaur fossil, and quickly alerted their father, Sam Fisher.
Sam Fisher, a longtime friend of Tyler Lyson, the associate curator of vertebrate paleontology at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, immediately contacted Lyson about the find. Lyson, initially expecting a common duckbill dinosaur, was amazed to discover that the fossil belonged to a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex, a rare and significant discovery.
More Read
The excavation, which took nearly a year to complete due to the necessary permits, yielded approximately 30% of the skeleton, including a jaw bone with large, serrated teeth, a leg bone, and a portion of the skull.Analysis of the fossil’s bone structure and growth patterns revealed that the “Teen Rex,” as the boys have dubbed it, was around 13 to 15 years old at the time of its death and weighed an estimated 3,500 pounds.
The discovery of this juvenile T. rex specimen is particularly valuable, as most fossils found are from older, larger individuals. The “Teen Rex” will provide researchers with crucial insights into the growth and development of the iconic predator during a crucial phase of its life.
To share this remarkable find with the public, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science will open a temporary exhibit called “Discovering Teen Rex” on June 21, 2024, coinciding with the release of a documentary film titled “T.REX” that chronicles the boys’ paleontological adventure.
