The most ferocious predator of the ancient world had a smaller, lightweight cousin: a new species of tyrannosaur uncovered in a Raleigh laboratory.
For years, paleontologists at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences thought its “Dueling Dinosaurs” exhibit featured a prehistoric battle between a triceratops and a hungry T-Rex — probably only a teenager.
But new research in the Raleigh museum’s lab shows the creature is actually an entirely different species of tyrannosaur: a fully grown relative of the T-Rex now known as nanotyrannus.
“This is the biggest dinosaur discovery of the decade, and I am proud that it is happening right here in North Carolina,” Gov. Josh Stein said in a news release Friday. “North Carolina’s public universities and public museums are continuously on the forefront of scientific research and advancement.”…