Scientists Find First Adult T. Rex Footprints

Scientists discovered the first known series of footprints from an adult Tyrannosaurus rex in North Dakota. A schoolteacher who volunteers at a museum first found the site.

the first known series of= the earliest recorded group or sequence of something

The trackway includes four large footprints with three toes each. Each footprint is about 3 feet long. These prints show how the famous dinosaur walked across the land 66.5 million years ago.

Researchers used 3D surface scanning to study the footprints. From these scans, scientists calculated that the T. rex walked at a speed of 3.5 to 4.5 miles per hour. This is about the same speed as a fast human walk.

the same speed as= equal in speed to something else

Dinosaur bones show how animals looked, but footprints show how they moved and behaved. Later this year, a helicopter will move three of the footprints to a museum in Denver.

show how= demonstrates the way or manner in which something happens or behaves

Learning Notes

Grammar Patterns

Pattern	Meaning
the first known series of	the earliest recorded group or sequence of something
the same speed as	equal in speed to something else
show how	demonstrates the way or manner in which something happens or behaves

Vocabulary

Word	Meaning
discovered	discovered or determined by scientific observation
volunteers	a native or resident of Tennessee
calculated	carefully thought out in advance
behaved	behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself

Language Insights

•Dinosaur footprints are classified as trace fossils, which provide rare direct evidence of animal behavior rather than physical anatomy.
•The term 'trackway' refers specifically to a continuous sequence of footprints left by a single moving animal.