[Newsweek] Tyrannosaurus rex could not run, scientists now believe, in direct contrast to previous research. Instead, the dinosaur probably walked along at a fairly slow pace, eating slow-moving sauropods rather than chasing after fast-moving prey. I think they hopped along myself. Kangaroos are built the same way.
Previous research had suggested T-Rex could clock speeds of up to 45 miles per hour and the new estimates paint a far less fearsome image of one of the Cretaceous period's apex predators.
The debate over T-Rex’s running abilities has raged for decades. Following the initial discovery of the species in the 1800s, T-Rex was often depicted as being a fast-moving creature. In the 1980s and 90s, several studies reinforced this image, based on anatomical research that indicated a very fast running speed and a high level of athleticism.
But not all scientists agreed, and more recent research using biomechanical approaches has indicated the predator moved at far slower speeds. Studies published over the last 15 years have favored the idea that T-Rex could not run at all.
In a study published in Peer J Tuesday, a team from the University of Manchester, U.K., demonstrated how a T-rex would move. They used two separate biomechanical approaches to create a computer model simulating how T-Rex would run, if it could. Because their model combined different aspects of bodily analysis, including the stress placed on the skeleton and how its body would move anatomically, the team believe the picture produced is a more accurate depiction of T-Rex’s gait.Their findings show that not only was the species unable to run, but it could not even walk very fast. If it were to run, it would have buckled under its own weight and broken its legs, they found. They believe T-Rex’s maximum speed peaked at around 7.7 meters per second, or just over 17 miles per hour (mph). To put that in perspective, Usain Bolt, during the 100-meter sprint, has clocked speeds of over 27 mph.
More at the link
