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T-Rex Could Not Outrun Jeep Contrary to Jurassic Park Depiction

Big Think · The mass extinction that accidentally created the dinosaurs | Steve Brusatte · July 3, 2026
T-Rex Could Not Outrun Jeep Contrary to Jurassic Park Depiction
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The mass extinction that accidentally created the dinosaurs | Steve Brusatte
"In the first Jurassic Park, we see the T-Rex chasing down the jeep that a lot of the characters are in. And this jeep is probably probably in third gear. You know, this thing is moving probably at least 30 miles an hour or so. In reality, T-Rex probably could not move that fast. We don't know for sure, but paleontologists have built computer models and have done simulations. And it just seems that an animal of that size, of that bulk, of that stature simply could not move at that speed. It could probably top out at about 10, maybe 15 miles an hour, still quite fast, but not fast enough to run down a jeep at that speed."
Paleontologist Steve Brusatte, who consults on Jurassic World films, debunks the famous Jurassic Park chase scene, explaining that T-Rex could only reach 10-15 mph based on computer modeling of its mass and structure. However, he also corrects misconceptions that underestimate T-Rex intelligence, noting it had keen senses of smell, vision, and hearing that made it a sophisticated predator.
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The mass extinction that accidentally created the dinosaurs | Steve Brusatte

August 3, 2026 · 1h 44m · 8 Egleze moments
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