🇺🇸 영어 원문
Tyrannosaurs are usually depicted as powerful, relentless predators in popular culture. Movies and documentaries often show them chasing down prey across ancient landscapes. However, new research shows they also took advantage of opportunities to scavenge. When food was available, they did not hesitate to feed on the remains of dead animals, even down to the last scraps. This behavior suggests a level of adaptability and survival instinct that goes beyond simple hunting.
This finding comes from a study by the Department of Geoscience at Aarhus University, recently published in the journal Evolving Earth. The research was led by Josephine Nielsen, a Master’s student in geoscience. She used advanced 3D scanning techniques to examine a fossilized metatarsal (foot bone) that belonged to a large tyrannosaur more than 75 million years ago. Her analysis uncovered 16 distinct bite marks on the bone.
“I have analyzed the depth, angle, and placement of the marks in a virtual 3D environment and can document that these bite marks did not occur by chance. They are precise impressions from the teeth of a smaller tyrannosaur that fed on a much larger relative,” says Josephine Nielsen. This indicates that even among apex predators, competition for food was fierce, and nothing was wasted.
The results suggest that tyrannosaurs did not let resources go to waste. Even tough bones with little meat were consumed late in the decay process, after most of the soft tissue had already been eaten. “The bone shows no signs of healing after the smaller dinosaur bites into it. Since the marks are located on the foot, where there is very little meat, it suggests that the dinosaur was ‘cleaning up’ and eating the last remains of an old carcass,” she explains. This implies that tyrannosaurs were opportunistic feeders, willing to consume whatever they could find to survive.
Rather than working directly with the original fossil, Nielsen studied a digital model and a 3D-printed version produced at Aarhus University. “It would, of course, have been a special experience to work with the real bone, but it is far too risky to send it through the mail to Denmark,” she explains. This highlights the importance of modern technology in preserving fragile historical artifacts while allowing for detailed study.
The metatarsal measures 10 centimeters in length and came from a tyrannosaur that likely reached 10-12 meters and weighed several tons in life. The fossil was discovered by an amateur collector in the Judith River Formation in Montana, a region known for preserving a rich record of a 75-million-year-old ecosystem. It has since been donated to the Badlands Dinosaur Museum in Dickinson, North Dakota.
Using digital tools provided key advantages. High-resolution scans allowed Nielsen to closely inspect tiny details that would be difficult to see otherwise. “What makes this study special is not just the knowledge of how the food chain functioned among dinosaurs millions of years ago, but the technique used to read the details. By creating a digital version, I’ve been able to zoom in on very small details. To ensure the analysis was objective, I used the systematic CM (Category-Modifier) classification system. This method categorizes each individual mark based on fixed criteria, allowing us to distinguish everything from glancing tooth strikes to deep crushing bites. It has been like solving an ancient murder mystery, with metatarsal evidence.”
Nielsen’s work was supported by Canadian paleontologist Taia Wyenberg-Henzler and museum curator Denver Fowler, who served as external supervisors during the undergraduate project that led to the published study. “I got in touch with Denver Fowler and Taia Wyenberg-Henzler while volunteering at an excavation camp in Montana in the summer of 2024. This set me on the path of my project, and it has been incredibly valuable to build international relationships already during my studies,” says Josephine Nielsen. The study highlights how technology and collaboration are reshaping our understanding of prehistoric life.
🇰🇷 한국어 요약
티라노사우루스는 보통 무자비한 사냥꾼으로 알려져 있지만, 새로운 연구에 따르면 그들은 죽은 동물의 시체를 먹이로 삼는 청소동물의 역할도 했다고 합니다. 오르후스 대학교의 조셉린 닐슨 학생은 7500 만 년 전 티라노사우루스의 발 뼈 화석을 분석했는데, 작은 티라노사우루스의 이빨 자국이 16 개나 발견되었습니다. 이는 먹이가 부족할 때 남은 뼈까지 깨끗이 먹어치웠다는 것을 의미하며, 당시 생태계에서 자원을 아끼지 않고 활용하는 모습을 보여줍니다. 연구팀은 실제 화석을 직접 만지는 대신 3D 스캔과 디지털 모델을 사용하여 정밀하게 분석했는데, 이를 통해 화석의 손상 없이 미세한 흔적까지 확인할 수 있었습니다. 이 연구는 공룡의 식습관뿐만 아니라 현대 과학 기술이 고생물학 연구에 어떻게 활용될 수 있는지도 잘 보여줍니다.
🔑 핵심 단어 (Vocabulary)
- Scavenge – 먹이를 찾아 헤매다, 청소동물처럼 먹다 – They took advantage of opportunities to scavenge.
- Metatarsal – 중족골 (발의 뼈) – She examined a fossilized metatarsal.
- Distinct – 뚜렷한, 분명한 – Her analysis uncovered 16 distinct bite marks.
- Impressions – 흔적, 인상 – They are precise impressions from the teeth.
- Decay – 부패, 썩음 – They were consumed late in the decay process.
- Carcass – 시체 (동물의) – Eating the last remains of an old carcass.
- Classification – 분류 – I used the systematic classification system.
- Criteria – 기준 – Based on fixed criteria.
- Objective – 객관적인 – To ensure the analysis was objective.
- Paleontologist – 고생물학자 – Supported by Canadian paleontologist.