T-Rex Bite Force 'Strongest' in History, Says New Study

By Ivana Kvesic, Christian Post Reporter Wednesday, February 29, 2012

New research suggests that the Tyrannosaurus rex had the strongest bite of any known land animal in the history of earth.

The new discovery, which refutes older beliefs about the powerful bite of the pre-historic animal, was outlined in the article "Estimating maximum bite performance in Tyrannosaurus rex using multi-body dynamics," published in the newest edition of the journal Biology Letters.

"Bite mechanics and feeding behavior in Tyrannosaurus rex are controversial. Some contend that a modest bite mechanically limited T. rex to scavenging, while others argue that high bite forces facilitated a predatory mode of life, " the article reads.

Despite the controversy, authors K.T. Bates and P.L. Falkingham argue that the meat-eating T-rex had a fearsome bite, estimating that the bite of the dinosaur was anywhere between 35,000 to 57,000 Newtons at a single tooth, comparatively much larger than the force behind the bite of the alligator, which is considered to have the strongest bite force of any modern animal.

"Our results show that the T. rex had an extremely powerful bite, making it one of the most dangerous predators to have roamed our planet," Bates said in a statement.

Scientists previously thought that the massive dinosaur bit with much less powerful force, estimating that the T. rex had a bite force between 8,000 and 13,4000 Newtons.

"I have no idea what the bite would do to an animal beyond hurt a lot. The force is obviously much higher than alligators and lions and you wouldn't want to be bitten by either of those," Bates told Discovery News.

The Tyrannosaurus rex was one of the largest carnivores of all time. Teeth from the creature were first discovered in 1874 near Golden, Co., and the first partial skeleton of the dinosaur was discovered in 1900 in eastern Wyoming.